Eli's story
by Puclpodcast
Summary: A story about a puclonian who adventures Periodia, with his starter, a Bulbasaur with the nickname Syntha, and his second catch a Growlithe named Yippers.
1. I'm Early?

"Eli, wake up! Today is your big day! You start your journey as a Pokemon Trainer today!"  
Eli slowly arose from the chains of his deep sleep with no awareness of today's coming events. His eyelids slowly arose and he surveyed the room for a moment before coming into his usual giddy state of mind. His dad, Pete, who is a top class Pokemon Breeder, stood in front of him with a giant smile from ear to ear. Pete White was a peculiar man who enjoyed spending time with his Pokemon out in his garden where he grew his berries and fruit. His mom, Sarah White, was standing adjacent to the bed after successfully coaxing Eli out of bed. Sarah was a stay at home mom who took pride in helping her husband nurture the garden and care for the family Pokemon. Said family Pokemon was Vuplix. Vulpix had been caught by Sarah as her first Pokemon when she first started her Pokemon adventure.  
"I better get going, shouldn't I!" exclaimed Eli, who shot out of bed in a dash and slipped into his Pokemon Trainer outfit which consisted of a blue t-shirt, a red vest with an old war style bullet holder that had been adapted to carry Poke Balls, his pair of athletic shorts, and his polished new shoes. Eli had longed for this day since he met his first Pokemon when he was 7. He dreamed of dashing through the fields riding a Pokemon, exploring vast caves while encountering, and ultimately, win the Pokemon League Championship. As if it wasn't already hard enough, if one managed to beat the Pokemon League a special way, the winner would be given a Master Ball. The Master Ball can catch any Pokemon without fail. The special challenge was that any Pokemon that fainted, would have to be put down, and that one can only catch the first Pokemon in each route. Eli so wanted that Master Ball. It would be his and no one was going to take it from him. Eli rushed down the stairs, and in equal time, inhaled a bowl of cereal before his mom stopped him at the door.  
"Eli, just please promise me you'll be careful." Eli chose not to respond with words, but by giving his mom a heartfelt hug. Eli then proceeded to fling the door open and dash to where Professor Oak was staying. The reason Eli had to start his journey today, and not any other day, is that Professor Oak only came by once a year to this region, Perodia. In this region, Professor Oak brought four Pokemon with him: Bulbasaur, Charmander, Squirtle, and Pikachu. Eli had heard stories about a trainer named Red who had started with a Pikachu. Eli figured that if he was going to beat Red someday, he would need to pick a Pokemon that was strong against Pikachu. Eli had made up his mind that he was going to choose Bulbasaur.  
Eli sped up into the RV that Professor Oak was staying in. Eli approached the door and gave it a strong knock. The sound from the knock radiated deep inside of Eli's brain. All at once, he got nervous, excited, sad, and happy. All of his dreams had flashed before him. After regaining his composure, Eli had realized that the door had still not been opened. Nervousness began to swarm Eli's body. As if knocking on an old man's RV at 7:30 A.M. wasn't creepy enough, he wasn't even answering. All of a sudden, Eli heard rustling coming from inside the cabin. In an instant, the RV door swung open and the prestigious Professor Oak stepped out.  
"What the hell are you doing here? Oh, I shouldn't use that language around children should I? Hello, I am Professor Oak. What are you doing here this morning young man?"  
Eli stood there nervously before finally getting his act together. "Um, I'm Eli. I live here in Cobalt Town, and I signed up to come to you to become a Pokemon Trainer. I-I'm here to get my first Pokemon sir."  
"Ah, it invigorates me to see the youth dash towards their newfound hope and adventure. Unfortunately, I have some disappointing news for you. The PC system, which is used to store and transfer Pokemon, is shut down for the next 24 hours due to an update that needs to be applied. So, that mean that Pikachu, Charmander, Bulbasuar, and Squirtle will not be here until tomorrow at the earliest. I have already informed the others who will be getting their starter Pokemon. However, if you want to try to get a head start, then you can try to catch your own first Pokemon. That would mean that however, you would not get the choice between Pikachu, Charmander, Bulbasuar, and Squirtle and would then start with the Pokemon you find."  
"Well," Eli said with a twinge of disappointment in his voice, "I do suppose it would be nice to get a head start on the competition. But Red, that really good Pokemon Trainer, he got here late didn't he? So did Ash Ketchum. I don't want to be cursed with the luck of your grandso-"  
"WHAT DO YOU DARE SAY ABOUT MY GRANDSON?"  
"Um, nothing sir. I just want to follow in the footsteps of some of the best of all time, sir."  
"Well, the reason Red and Ash can be defeated is that they are rash and unorganized. If Blue and Gary had gotten their shit- I mean heads- together, then Red and Ash should have been beaten easily. Additionally, your Pokemon will have a better bond with you if you catch it by yourself rather than have it given it you by an old man."  
"Well, I do suppose you are right Professor. Thanks for your help. How can I keep in contact with you?"  
"Call me on the PC once it is repaired. Here, take this number." Professor Oak handed Eli a scrap of paper with a phone number written on it. "I never did catch your name son, what is it?"  
"The name is Eli, and I will be a Pokemon Master!"  
"That's the spirit! I know you will be great someday Eli." And with that, Eli dashed to a spot where he knew he could find a good Pokemon: home.


	2. PokeTrap

Shortly after Eli had left to see Professor Oak, Eli's parents were surprised to hear a loud *thump-thump* coming from the front door. Eli's mom, Sarah, quickly rushed to swing open the door and was greeted by her son's smiling face.  
"Back already? Can we see you Pokemon, Eli?" exclaimed Sarah, who had a heap of surprise in her voice.  
"Ya, I'm back alright. The PC system is down so the Professor didn't have the Pokemon yet. He recommended that I go catch my own Pokemon, so it will respect me more." Eli explained to his mom. His mom looked at him with a sense of confusion, before a spark of genius flooded her brain.  
"Eli, I know you have a plan, but did Professor Oak give you any Pokeballs to catch the Pokemon with?" Eli shook his head in disgust. "It's alright. I have a special one right here for you." Sarah reached into her apron pocket and pulled out a blue and yellow Pokeball.  
"What in the world-"Eli started, before being cut off by his mother.  
"This, Eli, is a Friend Ball. Any Pokemon caught in this will become friendlier. This will allow you to become even better pals with the Pokemon you catch." Eli grinned before explaining his plan to his mom.  
"Mom, I know how I'm going to catch my Pokemon. If I can use some berries and PokeFood from the backyard, I have the perfect recipe for catching a Pokemon." Sarah then gave confirmation that Eli could use PokeFood and Berries to lure in a Pokemon, and Eli dashed out into the yard. He scrambled into the Berry section of the yard and snatched 3 Oran Berries, 1 Pecha Berry, and a berry exclusive to the Perodia Region: the Habi Berry. The Habi Berry would put a Pokemon to sleep. It would play an instrumental part in making the Pokemon easier to catch. Eli then ran over to the shed where the PokeFood was stored, and he poured some of that into a blue bowl. He then ground up the berries until they were as fine as sand before sprinkling them over the PokeFood. The meal smelled amazing, and Eli knew that this scent would not travel on its own. He set up an electronic fan next to the food to blow the smell throughout the forest behind the town. Eli then dashed over and filled another, smaller bowl with water. Now, they were to play the waiting game.  
Eli positioned himself behind the 3 Oran Berry bushes in the backyard. He was just able to see the food bowl from where he was positioned. The Friend Ball that his mother had given him was clutched tightly in his hand, along with a Chesto Berry, and water. Eli waited patiently while the vigorous sun beat down on him. Every now and then, Eli would pluck an Oran Berry off the bush so he would have a snack. He had waited so long that the sun was going down, and when he was about to give up, he saw a Pokemon creeping toward the food. Eli knew what the Pokemon was already, but he needed to enter it into the PokeDex. He flipped open the PokeDex so that the camera was facing Bulbasuar and it snagged a picture. It then read in a soft, female voice 'Bulbasaur, it bears the seed of a plant on its back from birth. The seed slowly develops. Researchers are unsure whether to classify Bulbasaur as a plant or animal. Bulbasaur are extremely calm and are difficult to capture in the wild'. Eli waited for Bulbasaur to eat the food, but it must have been hot as it danced around in the air for a good minute before approaching the food. Bulbasaur sniffed the food, almost as a food inspector would, before digging in. Before it could go to get a sip of the water Eli had set out, it fell over in a sleepy state. Within the next 30 seconds, it had fallen asleep. Eli then crawled out of the bushes and threw his Friend Ball. The ball sprang out a flash of white light and Bulbasuar was absorbed into the ball. The ball rolled to the left, then to the right, then to the left again. Eli wasn't sure what happened, so he approached the Friend Ball. The center circle glowed green, and then the light ceased. Eli had read about how to capture Pokemon, but this was unlike anything he had ever done before. He then decided that he had caught the Pokemon, and ran back in to express his excitement after his first capture.  
"Mom! I did it! I caught my first Pokemon!"  
"Congratulations Eli! Can we see it?" Eli pulled out his Friend Ball and commanded Bulbasaur out of its new home. The whole family started bursting out with laughter as Eli had forgotten to use the Chesto Berry. Bulbasaur's eyes darted awake and it grinned with its dinosaur-like face at Eli.  
"Bulba bulba!" cried Bulbasaur, and it jumped up into Eli's arms and wrapped its vines around Eli. That night, the whole family ate Pecha Berry stew, and Eli and Bulbasuar slept with great anticipation of their next journey.


	3. On The Road Again

When Eli's parents had awoken, they were shocked that the house had not been displaced. Was Eli not up yet? Both Sarah and Pete descended down the stairs and found Vulpix still in its bed along with a note on the kitchen table. The note was printed on white paper with flowers faded into the background. It read  
Hello Mom and Dad,  
Today I have officially started my Pokemon Journey throughout the Perodia region. I am very excited and thankful for all the opportunities you have given me. I packed a week's worth of food into my backpack, so don't worry one bit mom. I also purchased 5 Pokeballs from the local PokeMart, so I am well equipped in that department. I plan to reach Tridium City by the end of day. Tridium Forest should not be much of a problem, considering most of the Pokemon are weaker levels than my Syntha. For your reference, Syntha in the name that I gave my Bulbasaur. I will write to you daily updating you on my journeys, and once the PC is fixed I can call you daily. Don't worry about me, I will be fine and come home if I do not feel assured about my actions. Take good care of Vulpix for me.  
Your son,  
Eli  
"He sure has become independent after catching that Bulbasaur hasn't he?" uttered his dad, after scanning through the note with ease. Pete wasn't worried about how Eli would do, but he was excited to hear how Eli's adventure would unfold.  
"Are you worried about him, Pete" said Sarah in a soft, worried tone. Pete shook his head, which reassured Sarah. Sarah smiled and said "Boys will be boys.", before receding back into the bedroom to get changed.  
Earlier that morning, at 6 A.M. precisely, Eli and Bulbasaur ventured out the door beginning a chapter in their new adventure. Eli chose this time to leave before he went to bed the night before, because this was the time that the sun would pierce the skin of night and rear its beautiful head like a Ponyta who used too much lighter fluid. Eli saw where the sun was and headed to the side of there, which was north. He dashed towards the clearing, where Route 1, the first route in the Perodia region, began. He chose to get going early because there would not be many trainers out this early, and good wild Pokemon would be easier to catch.  
The first route was a breeze to get through, and since Eli was playing by a harder set of rules to win a prize, he avoided where Pokemon might be by taking different paths. Eventually, the two paths that he had been taking merged, and a sign read Entrance to Tridium Forest ahead. Eli and Bulbasaur, both anticipating what may lie ahead, dashed towards the path indicated. Right before they reached the clearing of the forest, they came upon a herd of Growlithe. All of them were asleep, so Eli figured this would be a good time to try to catch one. As Eli and Bulbasuar crept closer, one of the Growlithe's ears perked up. It jolted awake and alerted the pack. All of the Growlithe ran off except one. This Growlithe barked at Bulbasaur and Eli and stood its ground.  
"Aha, you are a feisty one! I want you on my team! Let's get 'em Syntha!" Bulbasaur jumped in front of Eli and extended its vines. In response, Growlithe barked loudly. "I like you Growlithe! Bulbasuar, use tackle!" Bulbasaur rushed towards Growlithe and made direct contact, sending Growlithe flying through the air. Growlithe slammed into a tree, but leaped back on to its paws. Growlithe than responded by dashing towards Bulbasaur and scoring a critical hit by scratching Bulbasaur with his claws. "Oh no Syntha! Are you ok?" yelled Eli in panic. Bulbasaur got up and boastfully smiled back at Eli, telling him that he was ok. While Bulbasaur turned around, Growlithe shot a column of fire right at Bulbasaur. Bulbasaur panicked, as Eli's journey could be over.


	4. Gotcha!

Bulbasaur stared down death as the white-hot column of fire exploded out of Growlithe's mouth and came hurtling towards him. He heard Eli's screams in despair, but he knew he had to do one thing; wait. So, Bulbasaur did. The column got closer and closer before Bulbasaur finally jumped out of the way, much to the avail of his owner Eli. With their team on a rally, Eli spit out another command.  
"Syntha, use leech seed!" Bulbasaur shot out a small seed, about the size of a penny at Growlithe. Growlithe was panting from the sheer force of his last attack, and the seed landed right in Growlithe's fur. At first, there seemed to be no effect. But suddenly, in the bright morning sun, Growlithe's milky white eyes shot open and rolled back on one smooth motion. He howled in pain as vined engulfed his body, wrapping tighter and tighter around his husky body. All the energy that was being leeched out of Growlithe was slowly healing Bulbasaur. All of Bulbasaur's scratches and wounds from the battle were being healed. Bulbasaur dug its feet into the ground, showing that it was ready to deliver the final blow to Growlithe.  
"Syntha, hit Growlithe with a tackle, but don't use full power!" Bulbasaur jogged towards Growlithe and hit him with a less than mediocre tackle attack that sent the worn down Pokemon flying through the air. The dog smashed into the trunk of a tree and slid down slowly in pain and agony. Eli then reached into his bag and pulled out a brand new PokeBall. He hurled the Pokeball at Growlithe in sheer anticipation. The ball spiraled through the air, its cherry red top sliding away from its blaring white bottom, only being held together by a small latch at the back of the device. When the Pokeball reached its pinnacle, a white light shot out of the ball and extended to the tuckered out Growlithe. The light swallowed Growlithe in a blinding flash, and his silhouette was absorbed into the now shut Pokeball. The ball landed softly in a patch of grass just outside of the forest. Eli and Bulbasaur dashed over to the ball. The center button glowed red once. Good, Eli thought, we're on the right track. It proceeded to glow with its red light again. Eli was getting excited now. C'mon, c'mon, c'mon! I have to get this one! thought Eli. It finally glowed again. Eli had done it. He had captured a wild Growlithe. Eli and Bulbasuar jumped up on the air victoriously.  
"We did it Syntha! We caught that wild Growlithe! Professor Oak will be so proud of me! And even better, I have a huge head start on the other trainers! We better re-heal Yippers, shouldn't we?" Eli picked up the Pokeball and released Growlithe. Eli entered it into the PokeDex, admiring Growlithe's beautiful white coat and his orange fur. Eli then fed Growlithe Oran Berries, before looking down at his map. So, Tridium Forest was next, eh? With Growlithe, it should be no problem. Eli returned Growlithe to his Pokeball before dashing out into the distance.


	5. Tridium City

Once Eli had gotten to the brink of the forest, he released Growlithe from his Pokeball. He had decided that Growlithe needed some training, because the next gym was a water type gym. Growlithe would be weaker in that gym, but it would make Growlithe better. Eli let Bulbasuar climb up on his head, as Bulbasuar smiled with glee. The forest would be hard to navigate, so Eli let Growlithe run ahead. His sharp sense of smell would be a vital help in Eli's journey.  
Growlithe led Eli through the forest, which is heavily populated with bug Pokemon. Eli was able to enter Weddle, Caterpie, Metapod, Venonat, Wurmple, and Silcoon. Eli's first Pokemon that he saw in the forest was a Metapod, and it would be a disgrace to have that on his team. Growlithe turned it into fried bug. Yum. Eli did find another trainer to battle in the forest. His name was Joey. Joey had a yellow t-shirt, and tan golf shorts. He saw Eli while hiding in a bush.  
"Hey! I challenge you to a battle!" shouted Joey. Eli accepted this challenge, and Joey unleashed his Zigzagoon. Eli entered the striped Pokemon into his PokeDex. This would be Eli's first trainer battle.  
"Yippers, I choose you!" Growlithe jumped ahead of Eli and barked fiercely. Eli commanded Growlithe first. "Yippers, use fire spin!" A white hot column of fire burst out of Growlithe's opened mouth. Zigzagoon jumped out of the way and dashed towards Growlithe.  
"Zigzagoon, use quick attack!" This speedy attack hit Growlithe directly. After many wild battles, this attack pushed Growlithe even harder. Eli winced at the sight of his newly caught Pokemon flying through the air, but he composed himself again before giving a second command.  
"Yippers, charge at it and use bite!" Growlithe dashed back at Zigzagoon with a new energy and clamped it within its jaws. Growlithe had Zigzagoon immobilized, and this seemed like a turning point in the battle. "Now Yippers, use a fire spin while its close!"Growlithe charged up his most powerful attack of the day and blasted Zigzagoon into a tree. However, Growlithe didn't let up there. He continued to blast Zigzagoon with a powerful blast of heat. Once Growlithe decided Zigzagoon had suffered enough, he let up his attack. Zigzagoon fell motionless to the ground. It had fainted, and Eli's team had gotten stronger. Eli took the prize money from Joey, and proceeded out of the forest. Eli then came upon Tridium Town, and he realized why he came when he saw the city.


	6. Getting Some Bling

Once Eli got into the city, he was shocked at the beautiful landscape. In the middle of the town, there was a massive pond with a lilly pad path to the center of the pond. Sitting on a prestigious island in the center of the pond was the Pokemon Gym. Around the pond there were many houses including an herb shop, a Pokemon Center, and a PokeMart. Eli dashed towards the Pokemon Center, with the intentions of battling the Pokemon Gym today.  
When he arrived at the Pokemon Center, he gave his Pokemon to the infamous Nurse Joy. Nurse Joy was a member of the Joy family, who runs all of the Pokemon Centers in the discovered world. Nurse Joy would need time to heal Eli's Pokemon, so Eli decided that since the day was lowering its wonderful wings, that he would bunk at the Pokemon Center tonight. Eli changed and laid down in bed, reflecting on his first day of travels. Eli thought that he had done well on his first day, and he would write to his parents in the morning.  
Eli woke up early enough to write to his parents while the sun bounded along the grim horizon. Eli then went to retrieve his Pokemon from the nurse, before going to get some breakfast from the Pokemon Center lobby. Eli had decided to not go to the Herb Shop, because it probably sold cotton candy flavored crack. Eli got a bowl of PokeFood for Growlithe and Bulbasaur, along with a plate of Belgian Waffles for himself. He released his Pokemon from their Pokeballs. They hopped out of their balls happily, and were extremely energetic today, so Eli figured that today would be a good day to fight the Pokemon Gym. Once the crew had finished eating, they dashed off the Pokemon Gym.  
Eli dashed out of the Pokemon Center and ran towards the lilly pad outside. He returned his Pokemon to their Pokeballs, just to be safe. He then leaped across the lilly pads in supreme grace, like a Stanler jumping across the field. He finally reached the Pokemon Gym. He flung open the doors of the gym, only to be astounded again. Inside, the field was as large as a PokeAthalon field, and there were two podiums at the ends of the stadium. There was a high ceiling that went up over 300 feet, which would allow a flying type Pokemon to dominate. The field had ponds and rivers, with high grass patches for Pokemon to hide in. It was a picturesque landscape that would make for a great battle.  
"I am here to challenge the gym! Where are the leaders? Present yourself, please!"  
Two small voices said, "Actually, there is two of us." Two gym leaders dropped down from the ceiling via parachutes, and a Pokemon Battle Referee came through the side doors. He began to give out the rules. He found out Eli's name, and begun.  
"Today we have a battle between the challenger, Eli, from Cobalt Town and the two gym leaders, Oxy and Hydro. Each trainer can use two Pokemon. Once all of one trainer's Pokemon are defeated, they are eliminated. On your mark, get set, go!"  
Oxy and Hydro were the first to move. "Go Crunchie!" Hydro sent his Totodile out first. Eli pulled out the PokeDex and snapped a picture of Totodile. It read, Totodile, the Big Jaw Pokémon. Totodile has a habit of using its highly developed jaws to chomp on anything in sight, so Trainers beware. Eli's plan would not hold up if this Pokemon was super strong.  
Oxy sent out his Pokemon next. "Go Flappy!" Oxy sent out his Pokemon, Wingull. Wingull was a flying-water Pokemon, according to its PokeDex entry. It could not fly very fast, so Growlithe would have to strike fast. Eli then sent out his pair of Pokemon.  
"Go Yippers and Syntha!" Bulbasuar and Growlithe flew out of their Pokeballs and out onto the field. Totodile was floating in the water while Wingull was soaring above. "Alright guys, it's our move! Growlithe, use ember on the tall weeds!" Growlithe proceeded to do so, and a look of sheer terror came across Oxy and Hydro's faces. Finally, they responded.  
In unison, they shouted, "Flappy and Crunchie, use water gun on the grass to cool it off!" Both Wingull and Totodile shot out water and extinguished the flames. Eli smirked, because now there was no more tall grass. Not yet anyway. Eli then made his next move.  
"Syntha, use leech seed on the ground! Hit as many areas as possible!" Bulbasuar launched a plethora of seeds across the field. Now Eli's plan to take down Totodile was all set up. Eli then decided to command Growlithe. "Yippers, now go and use tackle on Totodile!" As Growlithe was charging forward, Wingull shot out a fierce column of water at the spot Growlithe would make contact with Totodile. Since Totodile would be almost immune to the water, this seemed like a safe move. However, Eli had outsmarted them both. "Yippers, get out of the way, now!" Growlithe dodged the column of water, which came into contact with the grass. It then super speeded the growth of leech seed, and Totodile was wrapped in a malicious vine trap. The vines were so thick that Totodile could not escape. All of the Pokemon's energy was being drained, because of the extra hydration, it was draining fast. Bulbasuar stood back and kept regaining health, while Totodile was ready to perish. Both Oxy and Hydro were speechless. How had their own plan been turned against them that easily. Neither of tm could come up with a plan quick enough, so Totodile fainted.  
"Totodile is unable to battle. Bulbasaur and Growlithe win!" shouted the Pokemon Referee, who then beckoned for Hydro to send out his next Pokemon.  
"Try this on for size!" Hydro said. "Go, Retard!" A pink Slowpoke came out of the Pokeball. Eli was shocked that Hydro could treat his Pokemon that way.  
"Listen, Hydro! First, your first Pokemon's name was gay! Now, you have no Pokerespect for your Slowpoke! Before I deal with Slowpoke, I'll deal with Wingull. Syntha, pick up Yippers with your vines and lift him towards Wingull!" Growlithe and Bulbasaur worked together well, and soon Growlithe was hurtling towards Wingull. "Now, use bite Yippers! Take it down to the ground!" Growlithe clamped on to Wingull with its powerful jaws, before Bulbasuar released him from his vines. Growlithe then pointed Wingull towards the ground, and everyone knew something big was going to happen. Both Pokemon crashed into the pool of water in the arena, creating a huge splash that blinded everyone's view. No one knew who went down, but someone did for sure.


	7. Getting Some Bling Pt 2

A huge plume of smoke and dust arose the area where the two Pokemon had made impact with the ground. It swarmed the crash seen as if the smoke was a gang of Beedrill swarming a hive of honey. Eli began to get nervous, as it was now more than 15 seconds since the Pokemon had hit the ground, and neither Growlithe nor Wingull had left the smoke shroud. Eli feared that his new partner had already bitten the dust. Aguish began to pour over Eli and engulf him in sadness and despair. If Growlithe died this early, then Bulbasaur would have to take the rest of the Pokemon 3 versus 1, and that was no short order for a Pokemon as young as him. Eli's eyes began to tear up. His journey was over, and there was no two was about it. He finally composed himself enough that he began to open his eyes. To his joy, Growlithe came bounding out of the rubble, with Flappy in its mouth. Flappy had definitely been defeated.  
"Yippers! You did it!" Growlithe came up to Eli, set Flappy down next to him like a hunting dog, and started licking Eli's face. "Great job Yippers! Let's go out there and finish the job!" Oxy winced and returned his Pokemon to its Pokeball. He thanked it for its duty, before sending out his next Pokemon.  
"Go, Basculin!" The fish sprang out of its home, and went right into the water pond behind it. "Basuclin, finish this imbecile! Abush it and use water gun!" The slimy fish slivered through the pond and the hidden streams of the water. All of Eli's Pokemon were on high alert. "Now, hit that Bulbasaur, Basculin!" A jet of water came right into contact Eli's Pokemon, and it went flying. It landed about three yards away from Slowpoke, who began to crawl towards Bulbasaur. Eli was then faced with a decision. He knew another attack from Basculin was coming, but Slowpoke would attack Bulbasaur if he commanded Growlithe. Eli was in a catch 22 situation, before an idea sprang out of his head.  
"Yippers, go and use bite on Slowpoke! It'll be super effective!"Growlithe bounded towards Slowpoke, and Hydro did nothing to stop it. Slowpoke succumbed to the power and force of the bite attack and fainted. "How dare you not aid your Pokemon in a time of need! I have no PokeRespect for you Hydro! You are scum!"  
"Ah, I guess it is up to my brother now. You battled like shit, Retard." Eli was fuming. He tried to contain himself, but his emotions spilled over and he made his first rash decision.  
"Syntha, go get that Basculin! Get it out of the water!" Bulbasaur obediently followed its owner's commands and jumped into the water, pursuing Basculin. Bulbasaur followed Basculin surprisingly well, before Oxy made his best move yet.  
"Basculin, use double team, and follow it up with dive!" With a flash, multiple Basculin appeared in the water, and Bulbasaur was left trying to find a needle in a haystack. When Bulbasaur thought he had exterminated all of the decoys, he lashed out at the final one. It disappeared when he made contact, and then he knew he was in trouble. The real Basculin ambushed him from behind, and dragged him into the depths of the pond. Eli stood in shock before finally coming back to reality.  
"Syntha! Try to use leech seed! Use vine whip! Use something please!" Eli knew he was hosed. He couldn't send Growlithe into the water, due to the fact that Growlithe would also drown. Right as Eli was about to face death for the second time in the battle, a tree sapling began to rise out of the water. The tree grew super-fast, and became a large tree. It then receded back onto the water, and a Pokemon took its place. Bulbasaur had risen out of the water. The judge, who had been silent for most of the match, burst out with a boom.  
"Basculin is unable to battle! The winner is Growlithe and Bulbasuar and their partner, Eli!" Eli jumped up and down with joy, before going over to greet the gym leaders. Eli was then given the first gym badge, the Hydrox Badge.  
"Sweet! We got out first badge! I bet our rival will be jealous. Thanks Oxy, and you're a dick Hydro." With that, Eli triumphantly stormed out of the gym and returned to the Pokemon Center. He handed his Pokemon to Nurse Joy, before going off to take a nice nap. Right before he fell asleep, he thought about what combination of moves Bulbasuar had used to pull off that combination. After thinking about it for a while, he decided that he really didn't care why or how, but he was just happy to have escaped the close calls and get a badge.


	8. A New Friend

Eli's eyes were still groggy when he arose from his pillow in the blank white Pokemon Center room. Instead of darting out of bed like the usual ball of energy that he was, he rolled out of his bed like a baby Munchlax. His feet dropped onto the ground as he rubbed his eyes with his balled fists. He got on his clothes in a rote manner and fixed his hair before going out into the brighter white light of the Pokemon Center lobby. He monotonously went over to Nurse Joy and asked for his Pokemon back. She cheerily went over to get Eli's healed Pokemon, and he gladly took them back. He was so groggy that he was ready to go back to bed, before he remembered the promise he had made to his parents. He had forgotten to call them on the PC that had just been repaired. He walked over to the white machine with the big black screen and pushed the CALL button. He dialed his parent's phone number, and the screen flashed with his mom and dad on the other side.  
"Hi Mom! Hi Dad! I have some big news!"  
"Oh my that is awesome!" exclaimed Sarah, who had a giant grin on her face. "What is the big news!" Eli pulled out his black pouch that he kept his badges in.  
"I won this!" Eli pulled out his Hydrox badge, and the look on his Mom's face said it all.  
"That is amazing, Eli! Pete, come see what our son has accomplished!" Pete came dashing over, with a bag of PokeFood in his hand. As soon as he saw what Eli had in his hand, the bag of PokeFood dropped from his hands and spilled out of the bag.  
"That is the most amazing thing I have ever seen." Pete smiled with glee, as his son had just won his first badge,  
"Well Mom, I guess I'll be off now." Uttered Eli, who was desperately wanting to get off the phone.  
"Remember to eat well, Eli."  
"Ok."  
"And to take care of your Pokemon, and to walk them, and to travel safe, and to not fight people because you're scrawny and white, and to brush your teeth before bed, and to stay away from the prostitution rings, and to always be happy."  
"Alright. Bye." Eli hastily shut off the PC, before turning around to a young kid, probably about his age. The kid had a black cap with a Pokeball on it, a blue vest with a white shirt, and a cool pair of jeans. But Eli didn't like this kid. He had an arrogant aurora around him.  
"Is that your mom, wimp? I bet you are the 'special' trainer that everyone is talking about", said the kid, who smirked in a disturbingly evil way.  
"Actually, that is my mom. She's my favorite, she's funny. And yes, I am Eli, the trainer who caught his first Pokemon. Who are you?"  
"I am Atlas, future Pokemon master and the greatest at making Eli look like a loser. I have my first Pokemon here, Swaggy. Come on out, Swaggy!" An orange Pokemon came flying out. Eli checked it in his PokeDex. It read, Charmeleon, the Flame Pokémon. It has razor sharp claws and its tail is exceptionally strong.  
"Wow, so that's a Charmeleon? Where did you get a Charmander?"  
"Professor Oak gave it to me. I am the chosen one."  
"So you are the other rival, huh? How did you get your Charmander to evolve so fast?"  
"Level grind, bitches."  
"You're cheap, ya know.'  
"I don't care. You're gonna be way worse than me and that's what counts."  
"I doubt it! I challenge you to a battle!"  
"No", said Atlas.  
"But- but- but- you can't not accept my challenge."  
"Yes I can. My life is on a different set of rules than noobs like you. See you after I get the first gym badge." With that, Atlas walked out of the Pokemon Center, and Eli decided that it would be his mission to embarrass this kid.


	9. A Fork In The Road

Eli, still overcome with embarrassment and rage after his encounter with Atlas, decided that the best course of action was to move ahead en route to the next town. However, he had a tough decision ahead. He could take either Route 2, which was infested with strong flying Pokemon, while Route 3 was infested with strong poison type Pokemon. Eli now had to pick his poison (ba dum tss) on which route he had to take. Bulbasaur was weak to both types on either routes, but the gym leader in Thulium City was stronger than the gym leader in Cadmium City. The choice was made to go to Cadmium City.  
Eli wanted to conserve the energy of Bulbasaur, considering he was weak against the Poison Pokemon, so he had Growlithe charge ahead and take the lead. However, Growlithe was scared by all of the other Pokemon in the forest, so he refused to fight. Eli was then forced to put out Bulbasaur, who had a severe type disadvantage. He then proceeded to dash into the forest and find his first Pokemon in the forest, meaning it was on limits for him to catch. He looked at his PokeDex and snapped a picture. The robotic, mono-tone entry of the PokeDex read Zubat, blind Pokémon with supersonic powers. Zubat live in caves and hate to fly outside in daylight. Eli was going to try to catch it, but he also saw the risk in it. Zubat was a flying-poison type, while as far as Eli knew, Bulbasaur was just a grass type. He was ready to run away before Zubat gave Bulbasaur a harsh glare. Eli had seen that move from the Pokemon World Tournament that he had on TV. That move was mean look, and now there was no escaping from this battle. Eli decided to go on the offensive.  
"Syntha, use razor leaf!" The attack made a direct hit on Zubat, a critical hit at that. Unfortunatley, it still didn't do a lot of damage. The battle raged on even longer, as Zubat kept taking hits like Lt. Surge took them in the war that may or may not have happened depending on if you think Professor Oak slpet with Ash's mom. Zubat then used a confuse ray, and it hit Bulbasaur.  
"Syntha, use razor leaf one more time to weaken it!" Eli waited for his Pokemon to make an attack, but it never did. Bulbasaur thought razor leaf… razor leaf… hit myself? Bulbasaur went nuts and proceeded to smash his green face into the ground repeatedly. Eli then became very frustrated, and threw an Ultra Ball. He got the Ultra Ball from the herb shop in Tridium City.  
"If it was that easy, why didn't I use that earlier? Syntha, get back here." Eli tried to make Bulbasaur return to his Pokeball, but he wouldn't. Bulbasaur then blurt out nonsense, which was later translated in the PokeDex as "Are you a boy or a girl?" Bulbasuar then succumbed to the red light and he returned. Growlithe had watched the battle, and he finally grew a pair. He torched all of the weak Pokemon, after Eli entered them into his PokeDex of course. Eli saw notable Pokemon including Grimer, Koffing, Spinark, and Seviper. The tag team then moved on to the next city, with a huge appetite.


	10. Challenge Accepted

Eli got into town and was marveled again by the landscape. The road was a beautiful red adobe brick that resembled the color of Growlithe's fur. The lush, green grass flooded Eli's vision, and it gave him a new hope for all of his adventures. With Growlithe leading the way, they ventured over to the red-roofed Pokemon Center. Eli reharnessed Growlithe with the Pokeball, and went inside. He strutted up to the counter where Nurse Joy sat, with her Chansey next to her. Both had eloquent smiles on their faces, ready to greet Eli.  
"Hello, may I help you today mister?"

"Yes ma'am. Can you and your Chansey please reheal my three Pokemon, Yippers, Syntha, and Screech?" Screech was the name that Eli had given his new Zubat. He felt bad about using it in the gym battle because the next gym leader, Voltair, used strong electric type Pokemon.

"No problem sir. They should be ready for tomorrow morning! We hope to see you then!" Eli thanked Nurse Joy, before turning to the café to buy some coffee. Coffee always helped Eli unwind, and after another action packed day, this dark drink would be a tasty treat. Eli bought the coffee from the vendor for a cheap 3P. P was the national currency in Perodia. It stood for Pokedollars, which were easy to come by but were very inflated compared to the currency in countries like Kanto and Hoenn, which used different materials such as copper and brass to make their currency. This classified it as a different type of currency. Eli turned back to the lobby where he found a seat in the corner. He was scrolling through information on some of the gym leader's Pokemon, which were Pikachu, Electabuzz, Magnemite, Luxray, and Voltorb, when he heard a familiar voice. Eli thought oh great, not this son of a bitch again. The voice quickly came right behind Eli, and he sneered in a mocking mood.

"Are you reviewing for your janitorial interview tomorrow? Because after you battle Voltair, your Pokemon will be trash! Hahaha!" The voice belonged to Atlas, and he always found a way to piss Eli off.

"Oh really? Mabye if you come and watch you'll find out how to really fight!", responded Eli quickly. Atlas smirked at Eli, before responding in a rather dick-ish manner.

"You only have 1 badge! I have two! You don't have enough badges to control me! Come show this wimp how big we've gotten! Come face the fury, Swaggy!" A giant reptile with broad wings flew out of the small Pokeball. It reared its ugly head, and knocked a hole in the Pokemon Center roof. The building then lost power. "Whoops, too much power for this weakling!", sneered Atlas, who returned Charizard into his Pokeball. Eli just had time to enter a picture of the beast into his PokeDex. The entry read: Charizard, the Flame Pokémon. Charizard's powerful flame can melt absolutely anything. On the outside, Eli remained calm, but on the inside, Eli was freaking out. Supposedly, the flames that could arise out of Charizard's mouth could melt anything. It was rather intimidating. Eli then posed a question to Atlas.  
"How did it level up so fast, Atlas?"

"Oh, the man at the herb shop gave me these candies that made him stronger."

"Isn't that cheating?", asked Eli.

"Um, no. I am bending the rules, but I am not cheating. Catch you later, loser!" With that, Atlas ran out the door, possibly avoiding charges of property damage.

"Mister? Can you come over here please?" Eli walked over to where Nurse Joy had called him. She spoke again. "Eli, when that friend of yours-"

"He's not my friend. He's a dick. Well actually, no. He'd be one if he had one."

"That's not very nice.", replied Nurse Joy.

"Well, neither is he.", fired back Eli.

"Anyway, you Bulbasaur was healing when the power went out, and he is going to need time to recover naturally. You won't be able to use him for another 2-3 days. There is one way to try to get him healthy sooner. If you battle the gym leader, Voltair, I'm sure he will help get the power going again if you win."

"Challenge accepted.", said Eli, as he then ventured off to the Pokemon Gym.


	11. A Shocking Clash

Eli strutted towards the Cadmium City Gym, which was led by Voltair, with a sense of confidence in mind. He pondered the importance of the upcoming battle. Bublasaur, his first Pokemon, was hurt and needed his help. Even as confident as Eli was, he still had an immense amount of pressure on his shoulders. He decided that the pressure would be eased if he caught another Pokemon to help him in the gym battle. Something that could take hits against Electric Types such as Magnemite and Electabuzz. He had heard rumors of a wild Onix that roamed Cadmuim City. He picked up on said rumors by evasdropping on a young, chatty couple. Eli then proceeded to search under every crack and rock for the Onix, but he couldn't find one in the city limits. He was choosing his spots on where to look, because he knew he had to play by the rules in order to win the Master Ball. He then spotted a shade of movement from under one of the stones sitting in the middle of the road. He dashed towards the rock, and released Growlithe from its Pokeball. Eli then flipped over the rock, fully expecting an Onix. However, what he found was much different. He flipped open his PokeDex and snapped a picture of the creature. The PokeDex entry read: _Diglett. The movement of these Ground Pokémon can be easily detected by their tracks of upturned earth. _  
"It's not what I wanted, but it'll have to do! Yippers, use ember!" A swirl of flames bombarded out of Growlithe's unhinged jaws and plowed right over Diglett. Diglett collapsed back into the ground, and Eli let loose his Pokeball.  
"Go, Pokeball!" The red and white orb spun towards the whole in the ground where Diglett was, and, with a flash of white light, his figure was sucked into the Pokeball. Eli and Growlithe dashed towards where the Pokeball had landed, and they counted together the red flashes on the button of the Pokeball. The red light glowed once. Eli silently cheered, and Growlithe barked in applause. After the second flash, both creature and human alike help their breath, awaiting what would ensue. The red and white orb's button glowed a third time, confirming the capture of Diglett. Eli cheered and Growlithe howled at the sun, which helped remove the cliché from the situation. Eli dubbed Diglett Darryl, and they proceeded to the gym.  
As Eli dashed down the red-clay road, Eli began to think up a strategy. It would all depend on who Voltair sent out first. Judging by what he had heard, Voltair's strongest Pokemon was his Electabuzz, which could counter almost anything with its diverse set of moves and its nimble actions. Eli's Diglett would be key, because of the Arena Trap ability Eli had read about in the PokeDex. It would prevent all non-flying types from escaping, which would mean that Eli could lock in on Voltair's team. Eli pondered his strategy all the way to the gym, where he flung open the clear, glass doors.  
"Voltair! Are you here! I need to challenge you! The electricity at the Pokemon Center has gone out, and it has to be turned back on! Can you help?" The man Eli presumed to be Voltair turned around. He was sitting in a red velvet spinny chair, with a cigar dangling out of his mouth. He looked like he was in his late 50s, and had a scuffy, white beard. A pair of black sunglasses shrouded his face, and he blew a cloud of smoke out of his worn lips before talking to Eli in a raspy voice.  
"A challenger, I see?" Voltair coughed loudly, before continuing. "I'll tell you what kid. Getting the electricity on is an easy task, much easier than when my old war pal, Lt. Surge and I fought in the war. However-" he coughed again before finishing, "-I will only turn it back on if you can beat me. You ready kid?"  
"Just what I was expecting, old man!" Eli beckoned him to make the first move. Eli wanted to see how his Pokemon maneuvered through the terrain. The field was made of solid iron on the bottom, lending itself to aiding electric attacks, and it had a large Xtranciever-esque tower sitting in the middle. Eli didn't like the looks of that. Voltair then made his move.  
"Magnemite, I choose you!" The small magnet like Pokemon flew out of its Pokeball, and levitated above the field, shouting its distorted cry. Voltair had played right into Eli's plan.  
"Yippers, go get 'em!" Growlithe came bursting out onto the field, and in skidded a tad on the iron floor. Eli made the first move.  
"Yippers, use fire spin on the ground! Heat it up!" Growlithe did so, and the floor quickly turned into molten hot metal that lost most of its electric-conducting qualities. That caused a problem for Magnemite, which soon started falling because it could no longer levitate due to the loss of magnetic power. It went towards the ground and began to take damage. Voltair did nothing, as he saw that the battle was lost. Eli was ready to finish him off.  
"Yippers, use ember on Magnemite, now!" A column of fire spewed at Magnemite, and it perished under the heat of the blast. Voltair only laughed, and returned Magnemite.  
"Good job, Magnemite. You did well. So, you got spunk kid. But can you battle? Let's fight dog with dog! Luxio, aid me now!" Luxray, an electric dog, came out of his Pokeball. He winced at the heat under his paws, but smiled none the less.  
"Luxio, use hidden power!" Luxray shot a ball of energy into the air, and it came down in a ball of water. It poured across the field, and evened the battlefield between the two. Eli confidence took a hit, and he was unsure about what he was going to do next.


	12. A Shocking Clash Pt 2

Luxio had just been released from his Pokeball, and Eli knew he might be in some trouble. Everything Growlithe could do well at, jumping, dodging, running, and powerful physical attacks; they could be matched by Luxio. Luxio's black mane coursed with watts of electricity, and its determined eyes stared down Growlithe. Growlithe could only match the stare of Luxio. Voltair must have sensed the fear of Eli, because he barked at Eli tauntingly.  
"A little scared, huh? Well you better be. I have already done some research on you, Eli. Oxy and Hydro relayed their information to me, so I now know how to beat you better. I already knew you like to manipulate the field to your advantage, so I tutored my Luxio to cool off the floor in case you tried again. Also, it's not only you that is intimidated. Your Growlithe is also losing its physical power, due to my Luxio's Intimidate ability. Since you seem to shocked to make a move, I'll go ahead and use one first. Luxio, use volt switch!" Luxio charged up energy in its black mane and darted towards Growlithe. The lion was heading right towards Growlithe, when Eli tried to alter its course.  
"Yippers, get out of the way by using quick attack!" Yippers streaked out of the way, missing Luxio by only a few inches, leaving a white flash of light in his wake. Eli winced at the speed of Luxio. It would be a lot harder for Eli to counter his attacks. Suddenly, Eli heard a loud whine from the other side of the battlefield.  
"Yippers! No!" Apparently, Growlithe had slowed down to avoid skidding across the iron floor, and the more amble Luxio had caught up to it using volt switch. Eli stood in sheer terror as his Pokemon slowly got up. Voltair chuckled as Luxio was absorbed back into the shell of the Pokeball.  
"Not so easy to dodge my Luxio, eh?" Voltair coughed again, and blew another perfect ring of smoke out of his pursed lips. "Let's see if your little puppy can get up from that blow!" To Voltair's surprise, Growlithe rose onto all four legs and howled as if to respond to the doubts he was receiving. It was then Voltair's turn to send out another Pokemon, since volt switch returned Luxio to his Pokeball and sent another out.  
"Let's finish this puppy dog! Go Pikachu!" The famous electric-mouse Pokemon ruptured out its Pokeball and planted itself onto the field. Currents of electricity popped from the red pouches on its cheeks. Eli had first seen a Pikachu in action when he was a small child. A 10-year old boy named Ash used him during the Kanto League championship tournament. That kid must be 20 by now, right? Either way, this looked like a formidable Pikachu. It cried out in joy, and braced for a fight.  
"Yippers, use ember now!" A white-hot column of flame shot out of Growlithe's unhinged jaws. Pikachu sprung out of the flame's desired path, and landed safely out of the way. Eli then gave out another command.  
"Yippers, use fire spin! Use it until you hit that little mouse!" Growlithe obediently obeyed and chased the nimble Pikachu around the stadium until Growlithe had to let up out of exhaustion. Pikachu then was ready to make a move.  
"Pikachu, use Volt Tackle!" Pikachu darted towards Growlithe with a burst of speed, leaving a trail of electric filled light behind it. Growlithe then rolled out of the way of the attack just in time a Pikachu slid aside. Eli then saw the golden opportunity that had opened.  
"Yippers, use howl and aim it at the Xtranceiver tower!" Growlithe let out a deafening roar that bounced off of the tower and was broadcasted across the entire arena. Pikachu's highly adept ears were flooded with sound, and it covered them in agony. Growlithe's attack stat was raised sharply from all the noise, so now was the ultimate time for a strike back.  
"Yippers, finish this off with bite!" Growlithe hurtled towards Pikachu and clamped down on it with its massive claws. Growlithe continued to run, however, and dashed towards the steel wall. Growlithe dashed even faster, utilizing the slick iron floors to increase its speed. It then crashed into the wall, with Pikachu in its mouth. An explosion followed the collision, but was separated by a blinding white light.


	13. Electricity ain't Easy

Smoke engulfed a 30 yard area around where Growlithe had smashed Pikachu into the wall. Eli would have been nervous enough with the current situation, and it certainly didn't help that beams of white light were being punched out of the tufts of grey ash. The stone-studded wall was shrouded by the smoke and smog of nervousness, and Eli pondered what could possibly happen next. It took close to 30 second for the smoke to reside down to the floor, and the first thing that became visible was a small, yellow mouse lying prone on the ground. The rest of the smoke subsided and there stood a prominent beast which stood at around 6 feet tall, slightly taller than Eli's dad. Its regal white mane popped not only around its neck, but grew out of the head of the beast as well. Its orange body was tattered with black stripes that resembled war paint, something Voltair would be familiar with. Eli knew that this was not the same Pokemon he had walked into battle with, so he checked his PokeDex. He flipped it open as its dual screen display illuminated and traced the image of the Pokemon that now stood in front of him. The robotic voice said, Arcanine, the Legendary Pokémon. Arcanine runs so smoothly, it appears to be flying and is known for its majestic cry.  
"Sweet!" exclaimed Eli. "How'd you like that one, Voltair!" Voltair cackled and blew another majestic ring of smoke out of his pursed lips before deciding to make a response.  
"Pikachu, return." Pikachu was relinquished back into its Pokeball and returned to the hip of Voltair. "I have to admit kid, you've got spunk. However, even though your Arcanine may be stronger, it still is no match for my Luxio! Let's finish this one! Go, Luxio!" The black and yellow lion reemerged from its resting place and pounced onto the iron floor. Eli had kept his PokeDex open, as he saw that Arcanine had now learned a new move. Eli saw that it had learned fire fang, which, according to the PokeDex, was a physical move that was also fire type. This move would be suited to Arcanine's attack style. Eli would have to finish Luxio quick, because Arcanine was getting tired from all the battling. Eli made the first move.  
"Yippers, chase it down and use fire fang!" The majestic beast dashed gracefully and chased down the terriefied Luxio, which quickly turned its star studded tail and ran the other way. Arcanine chased the Luxio across the arena, left and right, while Luxio parried by dashing from side to side, likely trying to wear Arcanine's energy down. Finally, Arcanine cornered Luxio, bearing down on the lion with a mouth erupting with flames. Arcanine reared its head and stamped its paws, before crushing Luxio under the immense pressure of its ferocious, flamboyant attack. Luxio collapsed motionlessly on the ground, and Voltair quickly returned it to its secure resting place of its Pokeball.  
"I must admit kid, you're good. However, it's the end of the line for you. That pup of yours has taken some serious damage. Ya know, you really aren't as good as the challenger I lost to earlier. He had a flamboyant Charizard. Too bad you aren't as good as him. Either way, it's show time Voltorb!" The rounded Pokemon flew out of its Pokeball, but Eli could hardly tell that it had left. It had a red top and a white bottom half, and Eli could hardly differentiate the object and the Pokemon. Eli quickly returned Arcanine to its Pokeball. "What wrong kid? Ya scared of this little ball getting in the way of your trusty steed?" taunted Voltiar, who cackled after he finished his thought.  
"No, I just thought that I would mix it up a little. Let's show him what we've got, Darryl!" The Diglett sprang out of its Pokeball, and impaled itself into the floor below. Eli had a perfect, foolproof strategy mapped out to beat this Voltorb. It began with a little bit of digging. "Diglett, use dig!" Diglett burrowed its way into the ground, leaving a small tunnel in the floor. Unfazed, Voltorb stood its ground.  
"Voltorb, follow it and use self-destruct!"Voltorb rolled down the tunnel that Eli's Diglett had created while using dig, and slipped deeper into the hole. A suppressed bang rang out from the tunnel, as smoke rose out of the tunnel.  
"No! It can't be!" Eli exclaimed, as his knees buckled and he fell to the ground. Voltair just chuckled, and spun around in his chair in pleasure.


	14. Down to the Wire

Tears streamed down Eli's face. He knew there was little chance that his Pokemon would re-emerge from the tunnel it had dug itself into. Eli's knees buckled, and Eli fell to the floor in despair. Because of Eli's foolishness, he would lose Diglett and Zubat. Zubat was weak against Electabuzz, making this battle impossible. Voltair finally spoke, and broke the despair.

"Hey kid, it was bound to happen at some point in your journey. You just have to let it go. Return Voltorb, you did well." The lifeless orb that was Voltorb was relinquished back into the Pokeball he had originally came from. Eli calmed his demeanor to where he was only holding back tears now, and returned his Pokemon to its final resting spot.

"Thank you Darryl. You gave me confidence in my journey, and gave me hope for this battle. Don't feel bad that you lost, it was all my fault. I know that hindsight is 20/20, but that is a perception that I should have seen. I had a lot of Pokerespect for you. Thanks for all of your assistance, Darryl." Eli began to get choked up, so he returned the Pokeball to his hip. He then sent out his only Pokemon that he had no used yet. "Let's go, Screech!" The blind bat erupted out of his Pokeball and reared its ugly head before soaring into the air. Voltair chuckled with glee.

"That's all you got kid? Let's show 'em what we learned in war, Electabuzz!" The yellow humanoid figure snapped out of its Pokeball and showed its fangs to Zubat. It then sent a shock of electricity through its own body, which showcased its own power. It then braced itself for battle.

"Screech, use astonish, now!" The bat swooped in from the air and nearly made contact with the larger, stronger Electabuzz. The yellow beast swatted at the bat to no avail. The first turn had played to a draw.

"Use thunderpunch, Electabuzz! Silence him!" shouted Voltair, who didn't show his fear of facing the Zubat that Eli possessed. Electabuzz bounded towards the Zubat, but the small creature soared up into the sky, avoiding the attack. Voltair wasn't fazed by the benevolent attempt at a dodge, though. "Quick Electabuzz, climb that tower fast!" The striped humanoid figure climbed the tower, pursuing Zubat to its best ability. Zubat kept flying up, and Electabuzz kept climbing. Eventually, the duo had climbed to the top of the tower, with both sides trading blows. Zubat swooped and dodged around Electabuzz, who was positioned at the top of the Xtranciever tower, while Electabuzz hung on and rotated around slashing and swiping at the shifty little bat. Eli then called out for his next move.

"Zubat, use confuse ray now!" This time, Electabuzz had no chance of escaping. He got hit directly by the beam and began to lose balance. Voltair was too afraid to give Electabuzz a command, fearing that it may lose grip on the tower and plummet to its demise. Eli had now set up his plan perfectly. "Zubat, attack using wing attack! Do this for Darryl!" The diminutive bat honed in the fowl yellow beast, and gave him a vicious wing attack the Darryl would have been proud of. Electabuzz toppled from his perch on top of the tower, and sped towards the ground at a threatening pace. It was too late for Voltair to try to save his precious Electabuzz. It was over. Electabuzz hit the ground, launching a plume of smoke into the air. Voltair immediately walked over to give Eli the badge, before going to see his own Pokemon.

"Here it is kid; the Cadmium City gym badge. I am sorry for your loss, but you proved that you could persevere any challenge that an old man like me could throw at you. Let's go to the Pokemon Center to turn the power back on, as I am a man of my word." The duo talked all the way to the Pokemon Center. Eli felt like he knew the man quite well after the walk. Voltair, sure enough, was able to get the power up and running again. Eli thanked Voltair for his help, and proceeded behind the Pokemon Center, where he would make a memorial for Diglett. He dug a small hole, with the help of his Arcanine, and set Diglett's Pokeball inside before refilling the hole. He then placed a small, handmade sign in the ground before thanking Diglett for his duty. Eli then went back inside the Pokemon Center to get some rest.

Meanwhile, back at the gym, Voltair had a very important Xtranciever call to make. He dialed the number and awaited the response. A man with a light, high pitched voice picked up at the other end.

"He managed to get through my line of defense," uttered Voltair, who had a twinge of fear in his voice.

"Well isn't that just unfortunate," replied the squeaky voice at the other end. "I fear that he is stronger than we expected. No matter, I will phone Thomas and tell him of this. Eli will go down, whether he likes it or not."


	15. Route 5

Eli slept wonderfully that night, but at the same time, it may have been his most restless sleep ever. He was finally able to get rest after the tiring battle that had resulted in him earning his second gym badge. On the other hand, he resented his own battle tactics that resulted in the death of his new Pokemon Diglett. Lying in bed, he stared up at the rosy, pink roof of the Pokemon Center dorm rooms, he hated himself for not seeing the outcome of Diglett's battle sooner. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes with balled fists and shimmied out of the red fleece covers of his bed. He rolled out of the bed and bonked his head on the bunk bed on top of him. He swore silently, and proceeded to get ready. He put on the same clothes that he had on yesterday for the gym battle, thanks to the speedy dry-cleaning of the Pokemon Center. These places did pretty well for a non-profit organization. Eli put on his hat, and picked up his backpack containing his belongings. He then strutted out of the door to pick up his Pokemon.  
The lobby of the Pokemon Center was almost empty, however, the coffee shop was open, and Nurse Joy was sitting at the counter, in front of her Chansey and the healing machine. Eli somberly shuffled over to the counter, where he was greeted by the always cheery Nurse Joy.  
"Would you like to withdraw your healed Pokemon?" she asked cheerily.

"Yes. I need to be on my way," replied Eli, who spoke only loud enough for Nurse Joy to hear him. He felt like he was talking too loud because of the lack of trainers in the lobby. Nurse Joy handed Eli his Pokemon, and he walked out of the Pokemon Center, with his hat pulled down low, without thanking the famous nurse.  
Eli monotonously shuffled down Route 5. It was early enough in the day that the sun was just rising, so few Pokemon would be out yet. Bulbasaur trailed closely behind Eli, nipping at Eli's pant leg, Bulbasaur seemed worried about Eli, and his expression spilled out onto his face. The two friends continued to walk down the rugged path, continuing the back and forth of Bulbasaur nipping at Eli's pants and Eli nudging him away. This continued until the two found a good resting spot, which was sitting at the stump of a massive Oran Berry tree. The tree stood almost 25 feet tall, and its branches flowered out to where the think arms dwindled across the morning sun. Eli sat down, back to the tree, and leaned back. He still felt guilty about Diglett's death, and it was following him around like a lost Driftloon. A tear rolled down Eli's cheek. He dreaded ever battling again. The risk of losing one of the best friends he ever had was only a formality. He wasn't good enough to win lots of battles with these guys. Maybe he should let them go… Then, Eli felt a small leaf brush against his cheek. He cleared the moisture from his eyes and saw his Bulbasaur smiling mischievously, had extended his small vine and wiped away the tear down Eli's cheek. Eli suddenly realized why he would continue the adventure. He loved his Pokemon, and they wanted to continue. The two sat under the Oran Berry tree and laughed together while trying to pick the Oran Berries from the low limbs of the tree. The two sat under that tree for a long time, before seeing a flash of red dash through the trees of the route. Eli whipped out his PokeDex, but by the time the dual screen display illuminated, the flash was gone. Both Eli and Bulbasaur were stunned by the event they had just seen. Eli let all of his other Pokemon out of their Pokeballs, so they could all stretch their legs and explore a little bit. Time flew by as Arcanine, Zubat, and Bulbasaur splashed about in the pond behind the massive Oran Berry tree. Before they knew it, they were all ready for a nap. The group decided to sleep under the tree they had so much fun under. The four of the great friends drifted off to sleep under the tree, and the sun baked them, so much so that nature felt like home.  
Eli woke up in the middle of the night, with his Pokemon surrounding him. Eli's head was positioned on Arcanine's chest, which slowly rose up and down with the steady breathing of the massive dog. Zubat was hanging above the group, perched upside down on one of the low hanging branches. Bulbasaur was curled up on Eli's chest, and contently had its bulb flowered in the moonlight. Eli looked up at the sky, and it was painted with the rays of moonlight. The stars dotted the dark blue landscape, and Eli's eyes became heavy again. Before he went to sleep, he remembered how much his Pokemon loved him, and he had his most peaceful sleep yet.


	16. With The World On His Shoulders

Eli winced at the prospect of a random Pokemon coming out, and having to fight that powerful Machoke. I'm so stupid, so, so, stupid thought Eli, who was dreading what would ensue. Maybe, if he had thought about it before hand, he could have gone with Zubat, who had a type advantage against Machoke. Either way, Eli would have to face his decision with confidence, or he would risk showing that through to Atlas. Atlas would have the upper hand if he saw what a confused mess Eli was, so he would have to give it his best poker face.  
The Pokeball teetered in the air, waiting to rupture. With Eli nervously waiting, its sides sprung open, revealing the creature that had been summoned. Bulbasaur, with all his enthusiasm, sprang out of his orb and landed with a thud on the ground. Bulbasaur cried out victoriously, and gave Eli a jolto f confidence. Eli sprang into action with his first command, which, for once, was extremely generic.  
"Syntha, run at him and use tackle!" The green beast stamped his paw and dashed towards the enormous Machoke, which stood its ground unwaveringly. As Bulbasaur got close, Machoke sprang into action, with no command from its trainer, Atlas. The humanoid figure clutched onto Bulbasaur with its terse arms and began to spin around like an athelete throwing ball. Machoke continued to spin like a top until Atlas finally gave a command.  
"Macho, use seismic toss, now," mumbled Atlas, who was gazing at the scene with a grim look upon his face. With those simple, monotonous words, Bulbasaur was launched high into the air. Eli's knees quavered at the sight of this horror, and, as Bulbasaur reached the tp of his arch, Eli remembered what had happened with Diglett. A flawless plan had resulted in the loss of his Pokemon. This time, the lack of a sufficient plan would result in the loss of Eli's first friend. He was gone, until Eli pulled himself out from that deadly scenario. Bulbasaur was still in the air, so there was still time to save him before he went crashing into the ground. He quickly thought of a plan, and Eli, now playing part of director, sent the scene into action.  
"Syntha, use vine whip to swing from the trees and break your fall!" shouted Eli, who could now only wait and hope his plan worked. Bulbasaur not only executed the plan, but did so in a way that only he could: with extreme skill and vigor. Bulbasaur now contained the advantage over Machoke, as he now was above his head. Eli saw this as a brand new opportunity. "Bulbasaur, use tackle now! Use the momentum from swinging!" Atlas and Machoke both got the same worried looks on their faces, ad Bulbasar swung from tree to tree building up momentum, in hopes of launching an attack. Suddenly, Bulbasaur catapulted himself towards the buff fugure and slammed into his chest, knocking him down. Machoke struggled to get back up, and resided on one knee. Now was a perfect time for Eli to launch an attack on the vulnerable Machoke. Eli gave his final step to his plan. "Bulbasaur," exclaimed Eli, "use take down, now!" Bulbasaur launched itself at a reckless speed towards Machoke, who now got up onto two legs again.  
"That was clever Eli, but I have foreseen your strategy. Macho, wait and execute our plan," uttered Atlas, who had clearly prepared hard for this battle against Eli. Bulbasaur was now only a few feet away from Machoke, so there was no turning back. Spontaneously, Machoke's fist became engulfed in flames, and it crushed onto the bulb of Bulbasaur's back. Both Eli and Bulbasar screamed: one in pain, and one in agony. Machoke simply backed away from where it had hit Bulbasaur. The beast crossed its arms, huffed, and turned away from its target victoriously.


	17. Resilience is Key

Eli shuddered as Bulbasaur was flattened into the warm spring ground by the massive, super-effective fire punch of the bulky Machoke. His knees shook like jell-o as Bulbasaur struggled to get his wits about him. The dinosaur like beast summoned all of his strength to get back up onto his feet. He then grimaced with the pain of the massively effective fire punch, but glared at the confident Machoke grinned at his master, Atlas, as if to show his worth on his team. Eli suspected that Atlas had caught many Pokemon, and had stuck more than a few weaker ones in the PC, where they would never be used again. The meek Pokemon trainer then gave his companion a command, which he hoped would provide a change of momentum for the better.  
"Syntha, we need to rally now!" exclaimed Eli, who was trying to make a deeper connection to his Bulbasaur. He realized that this factor would ultimately decide the winner between not only this battle, but future battles between Eli and Atlas. "Syntha, dash back to the spot with the most sunlight, then use synthesis!" The obedient beast carried out Eli's command flawlessly, and he began to reap the benefits of synthesis. The gashes of battle were washed away like a riverbed during a rainstorm, and his bulb on his back, which was key to all of Bulbasaur's attack, was revitalized just like at a local Pokemon Center. However, it seemed like Atlas had already planned for this, as he lined up his strategy decisively.  
"How predicable of a rookie," cackled Atlas, who had been seeking this opportunity, as it was his chance to finish Eli's Bulbasaur off. "Since it will take you a while to use that health regenerating move, I have the chance to charge up my power. Macho, use focus punch." Eli's plan suddenly had a massive flaw. This strategy had been used in the Pokemon World Tournament a couple years back, and it had worked with the utmost perfection. The idea behind the attack was that the recovering Pokemon, in this case Bulbasaur, would have to spend its move recovering its health and boosting its demeanor, while the attacking Pokemon, Machoke, would use this time to charge up a massive and devastating attack that would level the Pokemon recovering, nullifying any benefits that the health replenishing move would do. While Bulbasaur revitalized itself, Machoke began to balance of one leg, while the blue, humanoid figure was surrounded in a blue aurora. It was now a race to see who could complete their moves the quickest. It was all up to Atlas to end the battle. All that he had to do was call for Machoke to charge. However, Atlas was getting greedy, and wanted to make a highlight reel finish to crush Eli, and hopefully end his journey. Atlas acted confident around Eli, but he was always trembling with fear at the thought of facing Eli. That was the sole reason he chose to challenge Eli: to prove to himself that he was superior to Eli. Atlas decided that Machoke had charged enough power to obliterate Bulbasaur, he gave his command.  
"Macho," cackled Atlas, "put this fool out of his misery. Unleash your focus punch, now." Machoke's eyes shot open and he dashed quickly towards the tiny, relaxed Bulbasaur. Machoke's veigned fists were raised above its ugly head as it trounced towards it. Just as Eli's best friend's journey was ready to come to an end, Eli made a counter attack.  
"Syntha, stop using synthesis, now!" Bulbasaur sprang out of Machoke's path just before the punch hit, which unearthed rocks from the battlefield. Eli saw the sheer power of the buff Pokemon, so he then made an executive decision to not let Bulbasaur take the beast in hand to paw conflict. Eli would need to attack from a distance. There was a perfect move for that. "Syntha, now use razor leaf!" Sharpened leaves quickly originated from the bulb on the Pokemon's back, and they smashed into Machoke, cutting him on his veined arms. Machoke then turned around in rage, ignoring the comfort Atlas was trying to give to him. Machoke sprung forward at Bulbasaur but missed slightly, again. Eli saw the chance to clean up shop, so he took the golden opportunity with open arms. "Bulbasaur, leech seed," Eli shouted. For the first time in this battle, and especially for the first time since the loss of Diglett, he could give his command with confidence. Seeds erupted from Bulbasaur's back, and Machoke danced right into the trap. The seeds plopped right into the skin of Machoke, and vines engulfed the blue body of the Pokemon. Life was drained from Machoke, and it fell lifelessly to the ground, where it was slowly recontained into the Pokeball of Atlas.  
"Machoke, you were my friend. I'm sorry you couldn't stick around longer. Thank you for your service." With those gentle words, Atlas turned from the glory of the battlefield and walked back to Cadmium City. Eli, excited by his victory, but saddened by the loss of a Pokemon, picked up his supplies and headed to his next destination: Neon City.


	18. Awash With Neon

As Eli walked out of the shadowy landscape of Route 5, it was a stark contrast to the massive metropolis of Neon City. Eli had done his homework, and Neon City was the most densely populated city in the Perodia region. It was a bustling city, with massive skyscrapers that illuminated the blackened streets with bright, lively colors. Masses of people pushed their way through the crowded city streets, as the usual commotion of the city originating from the car-inflamed streets of the metropolis. A rush of hopes and aspirations came to Eli, and he dreamed of all the fun he could have in the city. Surely he could find the Pokemon Center, and possibly go check out the town. He elected to follow the well lit, paved sidewalk with Pidove resting on the lamp posts above them, as opposed to taking the darker alleys, which contained a teeming Rattatta population.  
Eli approached the Pokemon Center, which was supersized to fit a massive city. It resembled a mall, not a typical Pokemon Center. Hundreds of trainers surrounded the shops, which included a bar and grill, a coffee shop, and a fancy clothing store. He wandered through the ocean of trainers, while slowly but surely making his way towards the main counter where a peppy Nurse Joy resided. Eli went through the motions of giving Nurse Joy his Pokemon, when he noticed an eye-catching poster behind the red-headed nurse. He then interrupted Nurse Joy mid-sentence to ask about the poster.  
"I'm sorry to interrupt Nurse Joy, but what in the world is that sign for?" Eli inquired. He awaited the answer anxiously."  
"That," started Nurse Joy, "is a poster for the annual Pokemon tournament in Neon City. Each year, hundreds of trainers get together and compete for awesome prizes." The Nurse smiled caringly, ready to field any other questions Eli might have.  
"What is the prize this year, ma'am?" questioned Eli. He was intrigued by the thought of a prize.  
"This year, the prize is a Pokemon egg, and an additional 10,000P for the winner," responded Nurse Joy. She could use that extra 10,000P.  
"How do I sign up? Also, how does it work?" uttered Eli, who's eyes were radiating with excitement.  
"Well, you can sign up starting two hours before the event starts- which is 9 A.M. tomorrow morning. You can register at the Pokemon Hall, which will be hosting the event. How the event works is a very complicated matter. Since a voluminous number of trainers will compete, the preliminary rounds pit trainer against trainer. Each trainer will battle 5 times, and then the top 64 teams will make it into the elimination rounds. The first two battles that a trainer will have are randomized based on computer selection. The last three battles are power matched; meaning that a trainer who hasn't lost yet will face a trainer that hasn't lost, and trainers who haven't won will face others of their record. It makes for better battling, and gimmick trainers won't be able to rely on luck. If you want to even make it to elimination rounds, you better be pretty strong." Eli speculated now whether he really wanted to enter the competition.  
"Nurse Joy," Eli said with confidence, "can you have my three Pokemon ready by tomorrow? I plan to enter the tournament."  
"No problem!" exclaimed Nurse Joy. "Your Pokemon will be ready by tomorrow morning. I will also have a room reserved for you tonight, sir. Have a great day!" Eli walked out of the Pokemon Center, with a couple of hours to squander before he would go to bed. He decided to go out and explore some of the street side vendors' shops. Eli passed a toy shop, a taco stand, and finally came upon an item shop. As Eli approached, the vendor stood up from his perch on his chair.  
"How ya doin' kid? Can I help ya any?" slurred the street vendor, who had a worn sound to his voice. Eli looked around the shop and waited to respond. He saw a black rock in the corner of the shop, and decided to inquire about that item.  
"Hello sir. Can I have that black rock in the corner please? And can you tell me what it does?" The old man cleared his throat, and peeled off his sunglasses. He looked Eli in the eyes.  
"Kid, this is a piece of charcoal. It will help Pokemon who use fire type moves attack in a more powerful position. Watcha need it for?" responded the old man.  
"Sir, I have an Arcanine named Yippers, who I think this would be perfect for," replied Eli, who was now curious about the old man. He had a worn face, with a large nose and wily eyes. His short, black hair was shrouded behind his blue cap.  
"Kid, it'll be perfect. I used to be a trainer like you, ya know. I had a strong Charizard who held this item. It has a lot of power. Use it wisely. Also kid, I like ya, a lot. But not in the weird way. Take this," he handed Eli a small seed that glowed with a green aurora. "This is the miracle seed. It boosts the power of grass type moves, and I also found this on my journey. Take care kid."  
"Don't I need to pay, sir?" responded Eli with a playful tone in his voice.  
"Nah kid. I'll do OK. Good luck kid." Eli thanked the old man for his help, and he withdrew to his Pokemon Center room, where he went soundly to sleep in anticipation of tomorrow's events.


	19. Preliminary Problems

Eli was sound asleep at the Pokemon Center dorm rooms when his alarm sang its cheery tone and summoned Eli out of his sleep. He awoke, drenched in sweat from his bad dream that his alarm clock had rescued him from. In his nightmare, Eli was competing in the Neon City Pokemon Tournament, and he got an extremely unlucky computer draw: he faced Atlas in the first round. All of Eli's Pokemon were swiftly defeated, and he had to begin to cope with the losses. Thank goodness that his alarm had woken him up from the nightmare, or Eli would have reconsidered his stake in competing. Eli then slid out of the heavy comforter of the twin-sized bed, and wiped his sweat-drenched face with his shirt. He then glanced at the clock. The time read as 6:50 AM, meaning that sign-ups for the tournament would begin in 10 minutes. Eli rushed while getting ready, retrieved his Pokemon from Nurse Joy, and followed the bright, flashing signs towards Pokemon Hall.  
Eli arrived at 7 o'clock sharp, but there was already a massive line to enter. Eli scanned the line for someone he knew, looking for a chance to register early and prepare for the tournament. He started looking at the back of the line, but he didn't recognize anyone that would be entering the stadium. Nearly every human complexion possible was seen in the line: people with black hair, brown hair, green hair. People with short skirts, long dresses, khaki pants, and jeans. Eli was ready to get in the back of the line when a familiar voice caused him to turn around. A smile was painted onto Eli's face when he discovered that Professor Oak, the man who started Eli's journey, was standing behind him. The two exchanged greetings, before walking ahead of the line and greeting the ticket checkers with two gracious smiles. The buff men were humbled to let the famous Professor Oak in, along with Eli. Eli speedily registered for the tournament, and was given a number. His number was 101. Eli then sat down with Professor Oak, where the two Pokemon fans discussed the competition, and how Eli stacked up. Eli started off with a question that had been bugging him for ages.  
"Professor Oak, who did you give that Squirtle to?" inquired Eli. He desperately wanted to know the answer to this question, so he could finally have a rival he had an advantage over.  
"Well," started Professor Oak, who stopped to clear his throat, "the young man I gave it to is actually sitting over there. His name is Isaac." Eli glanced over at the young man Professor Oak had pointed to. The kid had bright blue hair, and a pair of navy blue pants. His steel grey shirt was being obtruded by his powder blue vest, which cut off after his shoulders. Eli could see why the boy chose Squirtle. Like Pokemon, like trainer, the kid looked like a natural athlete; one who was a fast swimmer.  
"Do you know if he has any other Pokemon, Professor Oak?" asked Eli.  
"Well, I heard he has a Vulpix, which is a fire type fox. Knowing his competitive nature, he has most likely to have more, strong Pokemon with him," finished Oak. Eli then entered Vulpix into the PokeDex, and read up on its common moves and strategies. Eli thanked Professor Oak for his time, as the pairings for the tournament were ready to be released. Up on an elevated platform in the center of the room, a massive wire ball filled with Ping-Pong balls was ready to be spun. The lights dimmed, and everyone fell silent. Then, a spotlight shined down on the ball, and a short man with skinny eyes walked up to the stage.  
"Welcome to the annual Neon City Pokemon Tournament! I am the commissioner of this tournament, and will be releasing the pairings. Each of the 256 trainers here today will battle 5 times, and the top 64 will move on to the elimination rounds. Is everyone ready to hear the pairings?" called the short man. This question was meat by an eruption of cheering and applause. The man began to read off numbers. The first pair was 1 and 122. Both trainers walked up on stage to be presented to the audience. To Eli's surprise, number 1 was Atlas. The second trainer, number 122, Eli couldn't recognize. As more numbers rolled by, Eli's was finally called. He walked confidently up onto the stage, but was intimidated by the man that stood before him. His number was 222, and he stood at around 6 foot 5, and wore ragged jeans with a worn leather jacket. The two shook hands, and Eli then got the man's name. Ernest was his name, and the two would have a magnificent clash on the battlefield.  
The two arrived on the rocky battlefield, where both trainers chose their Pokemon. Ernest sent out his massive, powerful Ursurang. Eli sent out Arcanine.  
"Yippers, use flamethrower!" shouted Eli. Arcanine shot a column of fire out of his unhinged jaws. Ursurang evaded the attack, and awaited his trainer's command.  
"Ursurang, use focus blast!" exclaimed Ernest. Ursurang pulled a blue orb out of the air, and came crashing down atop Arcanine. Eli winced, as the cloud of smoke hazed both of the trainers' visions.


	20. Full Steam Ahead!

Eli knew better than to think that Arcanine had perished. His main concern wasn't the health of his Pokemon, but the disadvantage that he was now in. An alternative form of lighting would be needed to see what was going on, so Eli sprang into action.  
"Yippers, use fire spin to see where Ursurang is!" shouted Eli. Eli couldn't see the large dog yet, but when the molten column of fire rang forth from Arcanine's unhinged jaws, Eli was able to pinpoint a location on where he was. In addition, Arcanine's fire spin also blasted a line through the smoke. An idea rushed towards Eli's brain, but the though was interrupted by a command from Ernest.  
"Ursurang, use foucs blast, but this time, use it directly on the ground in front of you," divulged Ernest. The massive beast could not be seen, but he could be heard as he unleashed a triumphant yell as the orb of energy smashed into the rocky ground, causing a fissure to spread across the battlefield. This did nothing to clear the smoke. It was a desperate attempt by Ernest to hit Arcanine, a shot in the dark. Eli recognized that Ernest suffered from the smoke more than he did, so he crafted a plan in his head, which he would then attempt to execute. He sprang into action and barked out a command for Arcanine.  
"Yippers, use flamethrower into the fissure! Make it shoot down as far as possible!" The canine did so, and Eli was able to pinpoint the location of the fissure by where the heat radiated with warmth. Eli's command was followed by silence from Ernest, which Eli took as a sign of confusion. It took only a few seconds for physics to kick in, and steam began to flood the battlefield. This strategy was a success due to the steam, which was a byproduct of the white-hot fire coming into contact with the water trapped in the earth's crust; which had been accessed by fissure made from Ursurang. Eli then mentally mapped where Arcanine had shot flames into the crack in the ground, and tried to find Ursurang's location. Eli's logic was that if Ursurang had stayed completely still, then the fissure would lead Arcanine to Ursurang. Finally jumping into action, Ernest broke the silence.  
"Ursurang, charge up a hyper beam! Wait until you know the exact location of the dog to launch it," said Ernest, who didn't have a sense of confidence in his voice. He knew that he was playing with a major disadvantage, as long as the steam was on the field. This was his coupe de grace, or his last resort, for winning this battle. When Ursurang thought he knew the absolute location of Arcanine, he fired a massive, destructive hyper beam towards the dog. That move benefited Eli more than Ernest, mainly because the attack missed, and Eli now knew the location of Ursurang. Eli now had the opportunity to finish the battle, with Ursurang in need of rest due to the explosive attack he had just launched.  
"Yippers, now use crunch on Ursurang!" The silhouette of the large dog bounded towards the spot where the hyper beam was unleashed, and it was closely followed by the sound of two powerful jaws coming together and a loud yelp from Ursurang. A loud thud ensued, and the Pokemon Referee, who was sitting on the sideline with his orange uniform, shouted out the results.  
"Ernest's Ursurang is unable to battle! The winner is Eli and his Arcanine, from Cobalt town!" Eli and Ernest both walked through the smoke to congratulate each other on the impressive battle they had just played. Eli exited the battlefield, and went immediately into the trainer's club, where all of the battles were being replayed and the brackets were being filled in. He saw that both Atlas and Isaac had been victorious. As the replays of the battle flashed across the scene, he saw that Atlas had won using his steel and electric type Magneton. Atlas had conquered his weak opponent, who wielded a Shellder in only a few moves. Isaac on the other hand, had a very close battle with an opponent who used a Muk. Eli took notes on Isaac's battle strategy, as he had already seen Atlas battle multiple times. Isaac used a Lotad in the battle against Muk, which probably meant he had supreme confidence in his Pokemon. Being able to win with a type disadvantage would prove to be a strength for Isaac. His Lotad was an interesting specimen. It had a wide array of attacks, knowing long term moves like leech seed, and power-packed ones like solarbeam. Eli decided that it would not be ideal to battle Isaac at all if possible. Just as Eli's battle tape was coming on, the host of the tournament walked into the room with the second round pairings. Eli would be facing number 251, who had lost to Isaac in the first round. This round would serve as a measuring stick of my skill against Isaac's, thought Eli. With massive anticipation of the next round, Eli rehealed his Pokemon using potions and ventured out onto the battlefield.


	21. A Sticky Situation

Eli dashed out onto the battlefield anxiously, wading through the puddle of trainers that had flooded Eli's position by the newly released pairings. Eli knew he would face the trainer who had faced Isaac, and that he was confident that his Pokemon could swiftly counter any attack that he or she threw their way. As Eli darted through the hallways, he observed all of the possible options and tactics he could use against Muk. He was anticipating that he would fight Muk, as it is the Pokemon his opponent used in his last battle. Out of all the options Eli could think of, he decided on using Bulbasaur. Even though all of its grass attacks would have a lesser effect, it could stay away from the dreaded poision that could hinder Bulbasaur's fighting skills the whole battle. Finally, Eli came upon the correct battle field, where a large crowd stood in anticipation of the fight to come. Standing on the other side of the battlefield was a girl, probably no older than 17, who had a commanding presence on the battlefield. She had long, straightened hair than went down to her mid back. Her agile body looked like the one possessed by an elite athlete. Eli jogged out onto the field, with hundreds, possibly thousands of fans chanting his name. He guessed that he had made a name for himself in the first battle. When he reached his perch on the battle platform, he waved at the crowd, and directed his full attention to the referee, who explained the rules with utmost clarification.  
"Hello trainers! In this match, Eli against Jessica, each trainer will be allowed to use one Pokemon only. When that Pokemon is unable to battle, the other team wins. Good luck to both of you," recounted the referee, who was anticipating an exciting match.  
"I'll move first," cried out Jessica in a mellow, intimidating voice. "Muk, come on out to battle!" The sides of the Pokeball ruptured, and the purple blob sprung out of the small, red and white orb. It expanded to the size of a dishwasher before stopping. Wherever the Pokemon crawled across the grassy field, it left a trail of noxious gasses and sludge, which could impair future attacks.  
"Just what I was expecting," remarked Eli. "Syntha, I choose you!" The huggable green dinosaur pranced out onto the field, drawing off the grass to give it an advantage. Eli knew that he would have to use attacks from distance in order to beat this Muk. However, Eli was assured that the Muk would not be able to keep up with the remarkable speed of Bulbasaur. The largest problem troubling Eli was the grime that Muk was leaving behind. Eli saw that the gasses and poison was killing the grass behind it. Leech seed may not be effective in this fight. Eli started off with his first move. "Syntha, use growth! Continue to use it until Muk can come and get you!" Bulbasaur slowly began to collect energy from the sun as its bulb on its back pulsated with energy. Eli's plan was simple: if he could raise the special attack stat of Bulbasaur high enough, he could negate the type disadvantage between Muk and Bulbasaur. However, Muk did not take its time to get over to Bulbasaur, thanks to the command from Jessica.  
"Muk, charge up a sludge bomb, now!" The blob of goop vomited a sludge of poison near Bulbasaur, but he was able to dodge it just in time. Surrounding grass that had been hit by the attack turned black, and the sight struck fear into Eli's heart. He knew he had to cook up a plan to eliminate the Muk quickly, because Bulbasaur may not be able to withstand too many of those sludge bombs. Bulbasaur was now far away from Muk, so Eli set up his next attack.  
"Syntha, use growth again," commanded Eli. Bulbasuar began to leech energy from the sun, and his special attack stat skyrocketed again. Eli needed more time. He knew what Jessica was going to do next, and he dreaded giving a command that could be the end of Bulbasaur. Memories rushed back of the battle with Voltair for the second badge, when he lost Diglett because of a faulty strategy. However, He stuck with his plan, because he needed to do this for both his Pokemon and himself. It was a try or die situation. Muk's devastating attacks would aid it, and would most likely be the end of Bulbasaur if no strategy was thought out. On the other hand, giving the risky strategy a shot gave a glimmer of hope for Bulbasaur and Eli, who both wanted to win the tournament. A loss now would spell disaster for later rounds, as Eli would have a weaker strength of schedule. Jessica broke the silence.  
"Muk, use sludge bomb!" The purple blob launched another volley of blobs towards Bulbasuar. Eli stood strong, and gave no commands. He trusted Bulbasaur's special defense enough to continue to let him gain special attack. Bulbasaur's pulsating bulb was struck by the glob of poison, and Bulbasaur was then glued to the ground with the substance. Eli shuddered as Muk approached the defenseless dinosaur. It lurched closer and closer, with the helpless Bulbasaur squirming and slithering to attempt to get untangled from the sludge the encompassed his small, green body. With Muk sliming closer to Bulbasuar, Eli attempted the last step on his plan.  
"Syntha, you have to charge up an energy ball, now!" Eli knew the potential consequences of using this. Energy ball needs sunlight to work, and the attack may not be able to work at all. However, sunlight could be absorbed and it could burn the sludge, along with Bulbasaur. There seemed to be no easy out. However, a faint light began to shine through the cloak of sludge, and the sludge exploded under the immense pressure. The purple coat of the sludge had warmed up the bulb on Bulbasaur's back, so this energy ball, along with all of the extra special attack boosts, could be powerful enough to beat this Muk. A small, fluorescent green orb began to originate in Bulbasaur's mouth. It glowed brighter and brighter, while growing larger with every foot Muk advanced. Finally, Eli gave the word to fire and the orb blasted into Muk. It was absorbed into his sludge-filled self and the whole audience gasped. Jessica capitalized on the moment of panic, and gave out another command.  
"Muk, finish this battle! Use strength!" Muk raised its blobby arms before its attack came grinding to a halt. Muk's eyes widended, and it suddenly exploded from the power of the energy ball. Jessica recognized that the battle was over and recaptured her Muk into its Pokeball. She went up and shook Eli's hand, congratulating him on the match. The referee gave the final decision, in favor of Eli. Eli then receded into the confines of the trainer's lounge, where he promptly rehealed his Pokemon. Due to the fact that the next 3 rounds were power-matched, there would be a two hour layover where the trainers could prepare while the tournament committee worked the tournament out. Eli lay down on the couch in the lounge, and his eyes began to grow heavy. He was reawaken to a taunting voice, to which Eli cursed under his breath, before opening his eyes.


	22. Round 3

Eli was ripped from the catacombs of his dark, calming sleep by a taunting voice, which was all too familiar to him. When his eyes opened with annoyance, he recognized the sneering face in front of him. Atlas was the one who disturbed his sleep, and at least this time, it was for a good cause.  
"Hey Eli," he taunted, "have you been doing any research on your next opponent, number 17? Because I have a comprehensive list of scouting reports right here." Eli snatched at the file Atlas held in his hand, but did so unsuccessfully. "Stealing is a bad habit," taunted Atlas. "But, I will give these files to you, for the cost of 300p. Eli sighed heavily, because he knew preparation was what had won him many battles. He pulled the bills out of his pocket and handed them into the jittery hands of Atlas. In return, Atlas handed over the files. Returning to an upright position, Eli skimmed through the files until he reached number 17. A picture was paper-clipped to the corner of the sheet of paper, like in cheezy detective movies. The picture showed a small boy, no taller than 5 feet, wearing overalls and a red t-shirt. Shaggy, blonde hair caressed his head and gave him the look of a farmer. While Eli thought he could be no older than 10, he was actually 19, according to the file. Through his two rounds, he was 2-0, and he used two different Pokemon in each battle. In the first battle, he used his Lickitung and won using the move hyper beam. During his second battle, he had faced a Ursurang; the same one that Eli had beat in the first round. He had defeated it using his Lairon. Not knowing what a Lairon was, Eli flipped open his Pokedex. It read, Lairon, the Iron Armor Pokémon. Lairon is the evolved form of Aron. By drinking nutrient rich spring water, it strengthens its steel body. Observing that Lairon was a steel-rock type, Eli decided that he would use Arcanine if the trainer, Geraldo, used Lairon. Suddenly, Eli looked at the clock. Geraldo would be awarded a win if Eli did not make it to the battlefield in 5 minutes, so Eli sprung up from the couch and rushed to the battlefield.  
At this battle, there were even more people at the crowd than the first. Apparently, the higher prestige matches like this attracted multitudes more of fans than other battles. When Eli arrived, Geraldo was already on his side of the field. This battle's Pokemon referee then explained the rules, and beckoned for the battle to begin. Geraldo decided to move first.  
"Lickitung, assist me in battle!" The sides of the Pokeball exploded with energy as the excited Lickitung sprang out of its Pokeball and onto the battlefield. It cried out an energetic call and raised its small, pink arms victoriously. Eli then had to make a decision about who to send out. Should he save Zubat as a surprise for later rounds, or would he fall behind in strength? He decided to send out the Pokemon, and to hope for the best.  
"Screech," Eli shouted, "let's take this Lickitung out!" The blue bat, hated by many, came out of his Pokeball and dashed up into the air. He circled the battlefield, awaiting the next move. Geraldo had the honors of first move.  
"Lickitung, use hyper beam!" Geraldo felt confident, as Zubat was far weaker than Lickitung. Lickitung charged up a yellow beam, before releasing it into the sky, with hopes of knocking Zubat out of the sky. However, thanks to the scouting reports by Atlas, Eli had already planned for this.  
"Screech," Eli commanded, "dodge the attack!" The diminutive bat swooped out of the way of the column of energy, and now had prime position to attack. Lickitung had to recharge after such a massive attack, so Eli now had the chance to set up a strategy. "Screech, use confuse ray," uttered Eli, who now had an opening to set up his destruction of Lickitung. A pale orb drifted out of Zubat's tiny, Dracula mouth. It floated over to the figure of Lickitung, who could do nothing after the energy required to launch the previous attack. Lickitung finally regained composure, but it was too late. Confuse ray had already taken effect. Geraldo went to drastic measures to attempt to defeat Zubat.  
"Lickitung, use hyper beam again!" Geraldo tried for a high risk, high reward situation. Lickitung spun around, trying to locate a target. However, it only managed to blast a hyper beam at the ground, where it was then catapulted into the air. Plummeting towards the ground, Geraldo wailed with agony as his undefeated record was shattered. The referee then gave the call, and it was in favor of Eli, again. The two trainers shook hands, and Eli, for the third time in the tournament, was able to walk off the battlefield victoriously.


	23. The Dreaded Match-Up!

Eli now had a swagger about him as he strutted down the marble-floored hallways of the complex. Knowing he was 3-0 gave him extra confidence, as he knew he could take on any challenger that walked his way. Possessing a well-rounded team, Eli thought that he could stack up to any Pokemon that had the guts to attack him. He had not faced a trainer who utilized the strategy like Eli. His eyes scanned for the trainer's lounge, and he swung open the frosted glass door only to see all the trainers back, preparing for their next matches. Immediately after walking in, he scanned the room for Atlas, who would give him the packet of information for the next matchup. Eli saw Atlas, but he was in a mood that he had never seen him in before. Tears trickled down Atlas' face, and he was tucked into the corner of the room. Curiously, Eli approached Atlas to find out what had happened.  
"Hey Atlas, are you doing okay man?" questioned Eli in a soft, calming voice. Atlas wiped tears from his eyes and wiped his nose with his forearm, but refused to spit out an answer. When he tried to talk, tears overwhelmed his normally confident voice. After a few minutes, he finally mustered up the confidence to speak.  
"Isaac, the kid who received the Squirtle," Atlas paused to contain the snot that was running out of his nose. "He beat me. He beat me bad. In two moves, exactly," muttered Atlas shamefully. Eli then became curious, and began interrogating Atlas.  
"What Pokemon did he use, Atlas?" Eli tried not to sound too pushy, because he knew this was a tough time for Atlas. This would mark the second time he had lost a Pokemon this journey. Atlas looked up at Eli, and instead of talking, handed over a file similar to the one of Geraldo, the trainer Eli had faced in the last battle. A picture of the trainer was stapled to the top left-hand corner of the red file. It displayed a kid, about Eli's age, who had bright blue hair, and a pair of navy blue pants. His steel grey shirt was being obtruded by his powder blue vest, which cut off after his shoulders. A sudden flare of determination coursed over Eli's body. He wanted to get back at Isaac as soon as they met, because even if Atlas was a selfish, cocky jerk sometime, he was Eli's friend. Nobody would bring Atlas that low. Scanning through the file, Eli saw the Pokemon that Isaac had used so far this tournament. Isaac possessed three different Pokemon, kind of like Eli. Resting at the bottom of the file was a description of his first Pokemon. Lotad, the Pokemon Eli had seen defeat the Muk on the battle replays, had evolved into a Lombre. Lombre had a Lilli pad on its head like its predecessor, but had long arms that gave it more advantages in battle. Atlas' entry on the Pokemon described it as being a fast Pokemon that relied on the lack of speed from opponents to defeat them. Its description also divulged that it was the second best on Isaac's team, but a strong number 2 option at that. Directly below that, he saw another entry for a Pokemon named Vulpix, which he and Professor Oak had discussed. According to the entry, Vulpix had destroyed a quick Linoone, who belonged to another 2-1 trainer. Vulpix, being a pure fire type, had a strong moveset to accompany its strong trainer. Flash, the nickname of the Vulpix, knew confuse ray, quick attack, energy ball, and flamethrower. This moveset was extremely versatile, because it could strike fast with quick attack, employ a foe Pokemon's moves against it using confuse ray, counter water types with energy ball, and use flamethrower to mow through grass types with ease. Pokemon like this were designed to take down versatile teams, and scared Eli to death. Said moveset had been used to take down a Toxicroak, which would be a difficult task for any Pokemon on Eli's team. Another fact that scared Eli was that this beast was ranked third out of the Pokemon Isaac had used so far. Finally, the last Pokemon that Isaac had used was his prized Wartortle. Wartortle was listed as Isaac's strongest Pokemon, and had the same determination that its owner had. At first, Eli thought that Wartortle was being used as a gimmick, and that is why Isaac had been able to take down Atlas so easily. Contrary to Eli's earlier thought, this was just a very strong Wartortle that had a unique moveset to play off its strengths. Scald, brick break, dig, and withdraw made up this turtle's moveset, and it used these moves masterfully enough to take down Atlas' Loudred in two moves. With all things considered, Isaac would be a formidable opponent, and would be a tough draw for anyone who faced him. Registered as number 55 in the tournament, he was 3-0 so far, meaning Eli's chances of facing him would skyrocket with each win. Finished with the scouting report, Eli turned back to Atlas to deliver a confident message. "Atlas, I know that I will face Isaac at some point as long as we both continue to win. I will beat him, because he beat you, I guarantee it," remarked Eli, who tried to appear as confident as he could.  
"Good. Go kick his Pokemon back to Cobalt town, would 'ya?" Both Eli and Atlas grinned, but chaos erupted instantaneously as the director of the tournament walked into the lounge and announced the pairings for the fourth round of the tournament. The director walked up and silenced the crowd as he began to read the pairings.  
"Hello everybody," read the director in an excited tone. "I have in my hands the power-matched rounds for round four. Please listen up, as I will not be repeating the matches again. Is everybody ready?" The mass of trainers shouted with glee, and the director began to read the pairings. "On field 1, we have a 3-0 versus 3-0 matchup. Numbers 77 and 193 will be facing off!" Two trainers, both males, pushed their way through the crowd and out of the doors. "Next, we will have numbers 99 and 86 face off on field two! This is another 3-0 versus 3-0 matchup." This time, two females walked out of the doors hurriedly as the director read the next pairing. "And now, for the last but certainly not least 3-0 versus 3-0 matchup, we will have numbers 101 and 55 facing off on field 3! Good luck to both trainers!" Fear struck down Eli, as his hearted jumped crazily with no sign of stopping. Eli had gotten a bad draw this round: he would face Isaac in the fourth round. To reassure Eli, Atlas patted Eli on the back and wished him luck. Isaac was already out of the door before Eli started dodging his way through the crowd to get out of the frosted glass doors. Atlas' motivation had not worked, as all of Eli's confidence had been swiped away from him.  
Out on the battle field, trainers screamed and roared as both Eli and Isaac took their places. Isaac decided to make the first move. Even though Eli tried to hide it, he was terrified of Isaac, and Isaac look very comfortable in this environment. He chose a type of Pokeball that Eli had never seen before, and it expanded to contour his hand. The Pokeball had a blue top with two orange stripes cluttering the upper semicircle.  
"Go, Scraggy!" shouted Isaac. A wide-eyed, orange and yellow Pokemon bounced onto the grassy field. It had a stern look on its face, and it kept pulling its overly baggy pants up. It looked as confident as its owner. Eli was now forced to make a move against a Pokemon that he knew nothing about. He flipped open his PokeDex to find out more. Its dual screens illuminated, and it snapped a picture of Scraggy before reading its description. It read, Proud of its sturdy skull, it suddenly headbutts everything, but its weight makes it unstable, too. Eli recognized that Scraggy was a dark-fighting type, and he also knew that he had no counter to this typing.  
"Yippers, go get 'em!" Arcanine thrashed out of its Pokeball and landed on the ground with a thud. It let out a majestic roar, and the audience went wild. At this, Isaac just laughed. He was expecting this from Eli, and he had a plan. Isaac moved first.  
"Scraggy, use rock tomb!" Scraggy hurtled into the air, and he punched a boulder lying on the field. Rocks erupted from the powerful punch, and they were falling towards Arcanine. Arcanine dodged the rocks, and growled at Scraggy, attempting to intimidate him. He did so unsuccessfully, and Eli then gave his first command.  
"Yippers, use flamethrower!" A white-hot column of fire was launched towards Scraggy, who barrel-rolled out of the way, and began to dash towards Arcanine. Eli winced at the speed of Scraggy. Scraggy quickly advanced towards Arcanine, and Isaac grinned with glee.  
"Scraggy, use brick break!" Scraggy leaped into the air and his arm was engulfed in a blue aurora. It came down gracefully, but its attack was dodged by Arcanine. The ground was smashed into two pieces where Arcanine once stood, and the massive dog now had a perfect chance for a counter attack.  
"Yippers, use crunch!" Arcanine dashed towards Scraggy, who had its back turned. He unhinged his powerful jaws and tried to clamp down on the gangster. However, Isaac could parry attacks too.  
"Scraggy, use thunderpunch!" Scraggy's same fist became charged with electricity and swung towards Arcanine's jaws. The two Pokemon collided, with Scraggy's electrically charged fist stuck in Arcanine's jaws. Arcanine flew back due to the damage, but it was debatable who got hurt the worst. Scraggy was holding his fist that all of his attacks had originated from. Eli saw this as an opportunity-which could be a turning point in the battle.  
"Yippers, use aerial ace!" Arcanine came bounding towards the crippled Scraggy with a slipstream forming from its nose. Scraggy had no chance of dodging the attack. It was a super effective hit against the injured Scraggy, and it went flying back and was indented into the wall surrounding the battlefield. Isaac returned his dead Pokemon into his Great Ball, and refused to congratulate Eli on his victory. The crowd boo-ed him, but Eli could care less. The battle referee ruled in favor of Eli, and he cheered and fired up the crowd as he hopped off of the battlefield.


	24. Hit Me If You Can!

Eli's confidence was at an all time high after his successful battle versus Isaac. He flung open the frosted glass door and strutted into the trainers' lounge. Greeting him when he entered the room was a flurry of applause and congratulation's from other trainers, especially from Atlas. Atlas grinned and patted Eli on the back before handing him the packet of information on the final trainer he would face. By process of elimination, Atlas had determined that Eli would be up against number 99 for the final battle. In the other two undefeated matchups in round 4, number 99 had triumphed, and the other two trainers played to a draw. Turning his attention to the file, Eli saw a small girl, who was 13 according to the diagram. She had a blanched face with weathered, black eyes. Without a shadow of a doubt, Eli already knew this girl. Sarah was her name, and Eli recognized her from Cobalt town. Always quiet, Sarah was the fourth, unnoticed trainer who had been given a Pikachu by Professor Oak. Both Eli and Sarah had undefeated records for the tournament, and both looked to attain the magical five win mark that would propel them to the number one overall seed for the elimination rounds. According to her file, she had swept the field with only her Raichu so far. Raichu, the evolved form of Pikachu, knew thunderbolt, focus blast, dig, and wish. The mouse's powerful moveset, coupled with its high voltage electric nature, made it a challenge for Eli to defeat. Dig discouraged the use of Bulbasuar and Arcanine, but thunderbolt drove away Zubat. One thing that surprised Eli is that Sarah had only used one Pokemon the entire tournament. This either attested to the Raichu's toughness, or Sarah being too one-dimensional. Before Eli could discuss with Atlas a strategy for the next battle, the director of the tournament shuffled out into the crowd of trainers, who immediately fell silent in anticipation of the tournament. For some of the trainers packed in the diverse crowd, this could be their last shot to move into the elimination rounds.  
"Hello everybody," spoke the director. "For our last round today, the fifth of five, we have only two undefeated trainers left! These two will be facing each other this round. Numbers 101 and 99, please report to battlefield one, where we will decide out number one overall seed for this tournament." After the director divulged those words from his mouth, both trainers found each other in the audience. Eli stared down Sarah, trying to intimidate her, but Sarah just giggled, thwarting Eli's attempt. Both headed out doors on the opposite sides of the room, and proceeded to the battlefield. As Eli ventured towards the battlefield, fans congratulated him on his battles, and one young girl even asked for his autograph. He happily signed her Pokeball, and proceeded to the field. This match was the first time that Eli had actually beaten his opponent to the destination, but Sarah was not far behind. She possessed commanding stage presence, riling up the crowd as she skipped towards her pedestal. The field Sarah skipped around was riddled with bushes and oak trees. Eli saw no way that he could use these factors to his advantage when fighting Raichu. Once both Sarah and Eli had reached their places, the referee barked out the beginning of the battle.

"Welcome to the fifth round of the Neon City Pokemon Tournament. My name is Mark, and I will be your referee for today. Now, we have a battle between the final two undefeated trainers in the tournament. Please assist me in welcoming Sarah, from Cobalt Town!" The crowd erupted with excitement as Sarah greeted the crowed and bowed. "Now," continued the referee, "we have our second trainer here today, also from Cobalt Town. Let's hear it for Eli!" The crowd broke out into a chant. It appeared that they were chanting ELI-te, ELI-te, ELI-te. Eli smiled at the chant and waved at the crowd. "Let the battle begin," shouted the Pokemon Referee.

"I'll move first," uttered Sarah, who now had a menacing look on her face. "Shedinja, let's go!" As the Pokeball ruptured, Eli's first impression was that he was seeing ghosts again. Then, he flipped open his PokeDex to take an in-depth look at the ghostly Pokemon. Shedinja was its name, and it was a bug-ghost type combination. Eli, thinking that he would destroy this Pokemon, wanted to give Arcanine a rest.

"Go get 'em screech!" Zubat flew out of its home inside the Pokeball and resided in the air like its foe. Eli was confident that he could use Shedinja's frail structure against it, so he tried for a physical attack. "Now Screech, use steel wing, now!" The monster's wings illuminated a bright white, and the beast swooped down upon the Shedinja. Sarah gave no command to her Pokemon, which would normally spell doom for a Pokemon. However, Zubat's metallic wing swooped right through the shell of Shedinja. Eli was amazed by what he had just seen. Now, it was Sarah's turn.

"Shedinja, use swords dance!" Two bright red swords rotated around Shedinja, sharply boosting his attack. Eli panicked, as Shedinja was going to become a massive threat if Eli didn't put a stop to the threat.


	25. One Way or Another!

Chapter 25: One Way or Another!

Eli shuddered as Shedinja continued to hover over the battlefield and rack up attack boosts. Eli knew that Shedinja lacked the speed to keep up with Zubat, but if its attack kept gaining, it could spell disaster for Eli. Desperately pondering what to do with this predicament, Eli racked his brain for previous strategies used at the Pokemon World Tournament. It seemed that Eli could remember everything about the tournament, except if anyone had beaten a Shedinja. Getting nervous, Eli tried for another attack.

"Screech, use wing attack!" The small bat hummed towards Shedinja, ready to slice it with its wings. Eli discovered that this was the attack to use judging by the look on Sarah's face. Her eyes shot open before her brain sprang into action, giving a new command to the ghost.

"Shedinja, use double team," screamed Sarah, who was trying to hold back the nervousness in this situation. Sarah had flown through the first four battles of the tournament, but this one was different. Whether it is by sheer luck or knowledge of Pokemon, Eli had figured Sarah out. Double team kicked in right as Zubat came into contact with what appeared to be Shedinja. However, the hollow ghost had multiplied in a ring around Zubat. As Zubat's wing came into contact with the fake, it burst and disappeared as gracefully as it had come. Eli became very confused, but regained his demeanor when he realized that Sarah would have to look at her Pokemon to give a command. Sarah knew which Shedinja was fake and which one was real. She was hoping her Shedinja's tactic would aid her, but Eli knew how to counter this. Instead of wasting his Pokemon's energy wiping out the fake Shedinjas, he would read Sarah's facial expressions to determine which bug to attack. Sarah kept glancing to the left side of the ring, so Eli was able to narrow the choices down. Due to Shedinja's atrocious speed, it would not be able to dodge any attack that Eli threw its way. The crowd was on the edge of their seats as Eli's Zubat circled the battlefield above the ring of Shedinjas. Reading Sarah's face carefully, Eli chose a Shedinja to pinpoint with his attacks.

"Screech, see the Shedinja that is casting a shadow? Attack that one with a speedy wing attack!" The diminutive beast could not see, but used his sonar to find the Shedinja Eli was referring to. Sarah screamed for her bug-ghost Shedinja to evade the attack, but it was no use. The speed of Zubat far outclassed the speed of Shedinja**. **The super-effective attack ruptured the double team and wonder guard ability of Shedinja, and the bug came to the ground with a thud, completing Eli's perfect record. The crowd went berserk when the lifeless exoskeleton hit the ground. Sarah returned Shedinja to its Pokeball and strutted off stage, avoiding the reporters who were crowded at the exit of the battlefield. Eli waved to the crowd and walked off the battlefield. Eli was greeted by a flurry of reporters wanting to get the scoop on Eli's performance. They all congratulated him on his feat, before launching a volley of questions at the boy. After answering many questions, Eli was able to make his way out of the crowded exit and proceeded to the trainers lounge. Again, he was greeted by a ruckus of applause and congratulations, but this time it was by fellow trainers. All of the trainers settled into their seats with a large plate of KFB, awaiting the postings of the seeding for the elimination rounds. Eli sat with Atlas, Isaac, and Sarah; the four trainers who had been given Pokemon by Professor Oak. There was still one nagging question on Eli's mind, so he posed it to the other Cobalt Town trainers.

"Guys, what ever happened to the dude who took Professor Oak's Bulbasaur?" inquired Eli.

"Well," started Atlas, "after he received the dinosaur from the Professor, he was attacked on Route 1 by what he describes as a large, fiery beast. He was red in color, and looked like a large dog."

"Was it another Arcanine?" fired back Eli.

"Not by Tommy's account," responded Atlas. Eli then remembered the flash of red he had seen in the forest. This was definitely a question for Professor Oak. Suddenly, mid-bite in a KFB leg, the TV in the room flashed on and a hush fell over the room of competitors. A man with big, green hair appeared on the freshly illuminated screen. He was here to release the 64-trainer bracket to the field. Atlas sat nervously, as he went 4-1 on the day, but still might not make it. The competition was that tough. The man began to speak.

"As our number one overall seed this tournament, with a perfect record of 5-0, we have number 101: Eli from Cobalt Town," divulged the man. Eli felt blood rush to his face, as all of the other trainers applauded his work. Eli then saw that his opponent, number 169, had gotten in with a 3-2 record. Atlas let loose a sigh of relief, as that meant that he had made the elimination rounds. The only question now was for his seeding. Eli swiped the files from Atlas, and began to look at the file on number 169. The man depicted in the top right corner was a burly guy, who had a rough beard capping the bottom of his worn face. He had used only one Pokemon so far: Houndoom. Eli looked at his name. Thomas was the name listed on the sheet. Eli had a sense of fear towards this competitor. He had not seen this trainer so far, so his suspicion was unfair. Atlas suddenly cheered with joy as his name was announced to be the 5 seed in the bracket on the bottom left. The only way Eli and Atlas could meet is if they encountered in the finals. The rest of the Cobalt Town Crew, as they had deemed themselves, were two and four seeds. Isaac had the four seed while Sarah controlled the two seed. All members of the crew had been placed in separate brackets; so all four of them could make the Final Four. Eli congratulated the members of the Cobalt Town Crew before leaving to retreat back to the Pokemon Center.

When he arrived, Nurse Joy helped him through the back exit to avoid the media stationed at the Pokemon Center entrance. He made it to his room, thanked the nurse, and fell asleep happier than he had ever been in his short 13 year old life.


	26. More Than Meets The Eye

Chapter 26: More Than Meets the Eye

Eli arose early in the morning for the beginning of the elimination rounds for the Neon City Tournament. Surprisingly, Eli had slept well the night before, despite all of the adrenaline that had been coursing up and down his body the night before. Pulling himself out of that train of thought, Eli rolled out of bed and pulled a clean shirt out of his black backpack. Eli then opened up the bathroom in his room, glancing in the mirror. For the first time on his short journey, Eli was able to see how his demeanor had changed. His face looked worn from all of the excitement, while tufts of brown hair scuttled out of their previous spots on Eli's rounded head, making him have a bad hair day. Now hurrying through his routine, Eli rushed out into the lobby of the cheery Pokemon Center. He grabbed his three Pokemon from the healing station, where Nurse Joy resided on her stool. She wished Eli luck as he flew out of the automatic doors of the Pokemon Center.

Even though it was only six in the morning, the city still hummed with life. Automobiles flooded the wide-paved streets, while flashing lights screeched for attention along the city walls. Realizing that he had not had breakfast yet, Eli began to search for a destination where he could eat- in private. He needed to look over the file on his opponent today, number 169. Arriving at a shop named **Lucario's Luncheon**, he opened the heavy, wooden door. The server greeted Eli with a broad smile, before seating him in the back booth of the restaurant. The dimly lit room smelled as if a fresh batch of pancakes had just been served, which was perfectly fine with Eli. Jill, Eli's server, took Eli's order of two blueberry pancakes and a coffee with ease, and proceeded to give Eli space to think. Opening up the file, Eli saw the face of the trainer he was facing, again. The man depicted in the top right corner was a burly guy, who had a rough beard capping the bottom of his worn face. He looked as if he was 23, but he could easily be 35. Setting the picture aside, Eli began to look at the trainers he had faced. Neither Atlas, Isaac, nor Sarah had faced this trainer before, so he could not go to them for additional help. Houndoom was the only Pokemon the man had left after five rounds. He had lost a Linoone and a Seviper in the earlier rounds. Linoone, a pure normal type Pokemon, had vanquished against a Hitmonchan. However, the report divulged that the battle was closer than it should have been, mostly due to the skill of Thomas, the trainer. Seviper had been vanquished in the final battle of the day. Thomas had received an unlucky pairing, having to face an Onix in the battle. Finally, Eli looked at the last remaining Pokemon Thomas had. Houndoom, said Pokemon, was a fire-dark type, meaning it had an advantage if the battle were to be fought from a distance. Additionally, the Houndoom had a deluxe set of moves, knowing flamethrower, crunch, nasty plot, and overheat. According to the entry, one must watch out for nasty plot, as it would severely increase the chances of Houndoom sweeping your Pokemon. Eli began to marvel at how strong his first round opponent was, but his pancakes arriving at the table interrupted his train of thought.

By the time Eli had fully devoured the pancakes and arrived at the stadium, he only had an hour to gameplan for his opponent's tactics. Eli entered the bustling stadium, and spotted Professor Oak sitting in the corner on his laptop.

"Hello Professor Oak," greeted Eli. Today, the Professor had on a white lab coat and brown sweater on under the coat. He had his hair spiked to a point, with a Pokeball pin clipped onto the front pocket of his lab coat. Professor Oak looked up at Eli, and a smile appeared onto his face.

"Why hello Eli. Good job yesterday at the tournament. Do you need any help with today's matchup?" asked Professor Oak, who looked as photogenic as usual.

"Actually Professor, I do. My opponent has a Houndoom, and I'm not sure which Pokemon to counter it with. I do not want to use Bulbasaur due to the type disadvantage, so I have narrowed it down to Screech or Yippers. Your thoughts?" asked Eli.

"I would probably fight fire with fire Eli. Arcanine would be the best matchup against Houndoom. Additionally, I know that your Arcanine has a special ability called Justified. Justified boosts the power of physical moves if the owner of the attacked is hit by a dark type move. This will paly to your advantage, as Houndoom has been known to use a multitude of dark type moves," divulged Professor Oak. Oak sure knew what he was talking about. Eli could tell that Oak had been studying Pokemon long enough to fill an entire PokeDex. Eli thanked the Professor before going to the assigned stadium with renewed confidence.

End of Chapter 26


	27. The Appearance Of A Threat

Chapter 27: The Appearance of A Threat!

After Eli finished his conversation with Professor Oak, he looked down at his watch, who informed him that his match was ready to begin. Not wanting to be late, Eli rushed through the crowd of fans and trainers, before arriving upon the battlefield. Entering the locker room, Eli quickly dashed straight through the locker room and out onto the war zone. When Eli went atop the pedestal on the stage, the fans erupted with excitement. Observing the field, Eli saw that the field was coated in grass, bringing back memories of his first gym battle where Eli had torched the field to gain an advantage over the water type gym leaders. His opponent, Thomas, had a gruff but menacing look on his face. A shining pin was also attached to the chest pocket of his leather jacket. It contained a small inscription, with alternating colors of blue and black. Eli vaguely remembered this symbol from earlier in his journey, but was never able to recall where the décor had been seen before. The roar of the crowd was broken by the strong voice of the Pokemon Referee who stood atop a platform no more than one story off of the ground. He began to read the rules, before allowing the trainers to send out their Pokemon to commence the battle. Thomas, by design, sent out his Houndoom. Eli marveled at the strength of the beast. Its massive, silver horns rested prominently on its large black head. It howled with passion, which caused a roar of applause from the audience. It was now Eli's turn to send out a Pokemon.

"Yippers, let's go!" The massive canine leaped out of his Pokeball and landed on the grassy battlefield. His white main glistened in the morning sun, as he too let out a triumphant roar of power. Excitedly, the audience met this move with shouts of glee, and the battle was set to begin. Thomas made the first move.

"Houndoom, use nasty plot, now!" shouted Thomas. Houndoom glared intimidatingly at Arcanine, which caused the dog to shudder. The black beast cackled with rage as a dark aurora surrounded him. Eli, who had done research on this moveset, knew what Thomas was attempting to do. By using the move nasty plot, Houndoom's special attack would skyrocket. Now, any attack that was used by Houndoom from a distance would have the potential to wipe out Arcanine in one, deadly hit. However, Eli had gameplanned for this. Since Houndoom was very frail defensively, Eli would need Arcanine to take a shot from the lethal Houndoom. However, it was Eli's turn, meaning it was time to make a move.

"Arcanine, you need to stand strong for this next hit, OK? For now, use Aerial Ace!" Arcanine dashed towards its target as a white slipstream began to sprout from its nose. It made direct contact with Houndoom, who collapsed under the damage of the attack. However, Houndoom returned to its paws and readied for another attack. Thomas gave out the command that he hoped would finish the battle.

"Houndoom, use crunch to finish the pup!" Houndoom dashed towards the perfectly healthy Arcanine, who stood courageously, awaiting the attack. When Houndoom's jaws came into contact with Arcanine, Arcanine squealed in pain, before shaking the black dog off of its back. Arcanine then received the attack boost after being hit by the devastating dark-type move.

"Arcanine, use aerial ace, one more time!" exclaimed Eli, who now knew that he had his opponent cornered. The boost Arcanine received after the crunch attack had aided his aerial ace. Now, as a slipstream formed one more time around the dog, it crushed the Houndoom, spelling victory for the trainer from Cobalt Town. Thomas did not go to shake Eli's hand, but Eli was able to catch a glimpse of the pin he was wearing. It appeared as two crescent moons, one blue, one black, were surrounding a shooting star. Eli pondered what these sign meant as he walked off of the battlefield.

End of Chapter 27


	28. Chapter 28: Dun-un, Dun-un

Chapter 28: Dun-un, Dun-un…

Eli made his way through the treacherous hallways, dodging the media and fans alike while making his way to the trainer's lounge. The room had an empty feel to it, as more than 1/4th of the trainers were gone now. Making his way to the L-shaped couch in front of the TV, Eli sat with the Cobalt Town Crew to discuss the previous rounds. He began with Atlas.

"Atlas, how'd the battle go?" questioned Eli.

"It went great man," said Atlas. "I faced a Victribell who had a vicious moveset. I almost lost because of its brutal solar beam attack. However, Charizard and I rallied to win," finished Atlas, who had a bittersweet look on his face. Eli smiled at him before going on to ask about Sarah's match.

"And for you Sarah? How did your battle go?"

"Well," started Sarah, "I had quite a bit of an easier time than Atlas did. Raichu and I dominated against a Pidgeot in our battle. The poor bird didn't even get a move off," giggled Sarah, who was obviously proud of her first round triumph. Eli was proud of the rest of the crew, as their goal for the tournament was to place in the top 4 spots.

"Lastly, how did your battle go Isaac?"

"It went alright," mumbled Isaac monotonously. "We won, that's what matters, right?" questioned Isaac. He had a somber look on his face, which concerned the rest of the crew. Atlas rescued the conversation by bringing up the next round.

"OK everybody, let's take a look at the brackets for the next round," exclaimed Atlas. "Eli, you will be facing number 14 in the round of 32. Here is the file for number 14," divulged Atlas. Searching throught he massive stack of files next to his chair, he pulled out the file labeled 14. He handed the manila folder to Eli, who promptly opened it up to view its contents. A faded picture was clipped to the top left corner of the opened folder. It showed a short girl with beautiful strawberry-blonde hair. She had pretty eyes, and Eli could bot help but be attracted to her beauty. According to the file, her name was Zoe. However, he noted that this beautiful girl had a dirty fighting style. She had two Pokemon remaining after the preliminary rounds, and she had a record of 4-1. However, Eli was certain that people would begin to use different types of Pokemon in the round of 32, so he would do research on her two Pokemon, but not necessarily have to use the acquired information. The two Pokemon that she possessed were Xatu and Aggron, two Pokemon with extremely different type combinations. Xatu, the Mystic Pokemon, had a great ability, Synchronize, coupled with a stud moveset of future sight, psychic, aerial ace, and reflect. Aggron, the Iron Armor Pokemon, was listed as her best Pokemon. It had won her 3 battles so far this tournament, and its ability, Rock Head, worked marvelously with he best move, Double Edge. This was certainly a tough draw for Eli, who had no real way to counter these two Pokemon. He would have to play it by his gut feeling. Before returning to the conversation, Eli noted the single battle that Zoe had lost: Isaac had toppled her off of her undefeated mark in the third round. Isaac had defeated Zoe with his Wartortle. Zoe had suffered the loss of her Ponyta in that battle, but that only meant she would be back for blood after losing to a member of the Cobalt Town Crew. Before the group had a chance to discuss their battle strategies, the director of the tournament began to speak over the PA system that was wired throughout the stadium.

"Hello trainers and fans. Thank you for participating today, as well as watching the immense display of talent that is on display. Just a friendly reminder that the next round starts in five minutes, so if all trainers could just make their way to the listed battlefield, that would be great. Thanks again from all of the staff of the Neon City Pokemon Tournament. Good luck trainers!" The voice over the intercom silenced, and all of the trainers nervously packed their bags and headed toward their fields. Eli rushed out the doors-which served as a bottleneck for all of the outgoing participants. Eli dashed towards his field that he had been assigned to. He narrowly avoided the media as he arrived at field 4.

A chanting crowd, who were anxiously awaiting the battle, greeted him at the field. They cheered louder when Eli arrived at the battlefield, as Eli interacted with the crowd by waving and high-fiving the people who had front row tickets. All of the commotion suddenly turned away from Eli when Zoe walked in. Zoe was even more attractive in person. She stole all of the energy that Eli had built in the crowd just by walking in and blowing a kiss to the audience. Eli blushed, before quickly wiping that feeling away. He had to defeat her in battle before he could have a crush on her. Both trainers made their way to the battle podium. Eli took observations of the field. It was basically a pool that had lily pads perched atop the surface. This would make it impossible for Aggron to fight, so Eli expected to see something new from Zoe. The battle referee hushed the crowd to begin the battle.

"Hello ladies and gentleman! Today, for the 1 versus 8 seed matchup, we have Eli from Cobalt Town pitted against Zoe from Neon City!" Eli suddenly understood why Zoe was able to draw as much attention as she did: Neon City was her hometown, so Eli would not have the crowd's support this time around. "Let the battle begin!" shouted the referee. Without hesitating, Zoe made the first move.

"Let's go, Sharpedo!" A blue and black shark busted out of the Pokeball that Zoe threw. It splashed into the water and circled the pool with extreme speed. Eli looked up Sharpedo in the PokeDex. Apparently, it was a water-dark type with the ability Rough Skin. This ability hurt the opponent every physical attack, so Eli would have to fight from a distance. The field did not lend itself to that strategy, but Eli could make it work. He reached for his pocket to pull out Bulbasaur, but a sudden panic overcame Eli. Bulbasaur's Pokeball wasn't in his pocket. He must have left it in the lounge when he rushed out. The look on his face must have shown, because the entire crowd chuckled at his facial expression. Acting on his feet, he chose the only Pokemon that was still with him on the field: Zubat.

"Screech, come support me in battle!" exclaimed Eli. The minute bat hovered out onto the field and glided through the air. Eli shuddered, as Zubat only knew two attacking moves, steel wing and wing attack, both of them being physical. He could lose Zubat because of his own carelessness. Zoe made the first move.

"Sharpedo, use water pulse now!" The shark swam around before leaping out of the water, drawing applause from the crowd. It then fired out a ball of water towards Zubat, who narrowly avoided the attack. Eli was troubled by the immense speed of this Sharpedo. There was no wondering why Zoe had saved it for the elimination rounds. Eli was now forced to counter the attack.

"Screech, use confuse ray now!" The diminutive bat swooped around the field and launched a glowing orb towards the foe Sharpedo. Sharpedo dove into the water to dodge the attack, as the bubble of disarray popped on the surface. Eli had no easy out this round, as he was fighting at a disadvantage. Zoe smirked at the failed attack.

"Not much of a number one seed are 'ya? Sharpedo, use ice beam to take that wimpy bat out of the sky!" shouted Zoe. Eli was intimidated by Zoe's attack, and he called out to Zubat to dodge the blast of ice. Zubat barely dodged again, but ice crystals had formed on his ear from the intensity of the blast. Eli immediately saw the trouble with this: Zubat could only see using sonar, so he needed both of his ears. He would not be able to pinpoint attacks of the foe Sharpedo anymore.

"Screech, fly down towards the Sharpedo and take the next attack strongly!" Zubat reluctantly did so, and swooped towards the pool on the ground.

"Sharpedo, finish this imbecile! Use take down, now!" The shifty Sharpedo swam sharply through the water and approached the suffering Zubat. However, Eli now had a plan all set up and ready to be executed.

"Now Screech, drop a confuse ray right below you!" Zubat pulled an aurora ball out of thin air and dropped it right below him. The sneaky Sharpedo was attempting to come up from under Zubat to attack, so the confuse ray bonked him right in the head. Eli now had a chance to clear off Zubat's ear. "Screech," he shouted, "use wing attack directly below you, now!" The small bat swooped down and splashed into the water, missing Sharpedo but going deep enough into the water that his ears popped, removing the ice crystals. He then came back up to the surface, vigorous to fight.

"Sharpedo," cried out Zoe, "use skull bash, now!" Zoe had to go for a high risk, high reward attack. A direct dose of skull bash would kill the opposing Zubat, but a miss would cause massive suffering for Sharpedo. The shark launched itself towards the bat, and it missed dreadfully. Eli grinned, as he had the battle won. While Sharpedo was still in the air, he gave out his final command.

"Screech, use wing attack one more time!" The bat hustled towards the falling shark and came into direct contact with it, sending it spiraling towards the bottom of the pool. The intensity of the attack coupled with the thud Sharpedo made at the bottom of the pool signaled the end of the battle.

"Sharpedo is unable to battle! Eli and Zubat win!" Half of the crowd cheered for Eli while the people from Neon City groaned, as Zoe was the last citizen of the city remaining. Eli victoriously strutted off of the field, and went back to the trainer's lounge.

End of Chapter 28


	29. Chapter 29: That Attack Looks Familiar

Chapter 29: That Attack Looks Familiar…

Eli hopped out of the first battlefield with pure, untouched adrenaline coursing through his veins. He was super excited about his win over Zoe, in which he had a severe type disadvantage. Skipping through the modern hallways towards the trainers' lounge, he realized that he was beginning to develop more of an ego than he had at the beginning of his journey. He came upon the frosted glass doors of the trainers' lounge before meeting up with the rest of the Cobalt Town Crew. Upon sitting in his chair with the rest of the group, he realized the somber looks on everyone's faces. One of the members had lost in the second round. By process of elimination, Eli determined that Isaac had bitten the dust last round. He sat down with the rest of the group before breaking the silence.

"What the hell happened to Isaac?" questioned Eli. The rest of the group avoided Eli's eyes before Atlas took the time to explain the situation.

"Well, Isaac had complete confidence in his battle. His opponent had only used a Mighteyana in the preliminary rounds, so Isaac was planning to sweep him with a Hitmonlee. However, Isaac that unlucky guy, was double-crossed. His opponent sent out Alakazam. Hitmonlee was toast from the beginning. Isaac at least mad a show of it. He almost advanced despite the type disadvantage," finished Atlas, who was distraught at the loss of Isaac in the tournament. He then, however, handed Eli back a Pokeball and a Great Ball. "I think you'll be needing these for your next battle. Don't make that mistake next time," warned Atlas, who then cracked a smile on his despair-riddled face. The three remaining trainers from Cobalt Town, Eli, Atlas, and Sarah, all sat down to look at the brackets. They went over Sarah's matchup first. "Sarah, this round you will be facing number 59 in this matchup," said Atlas. He handed over the manila folder to Sarah, who promptly opened it to view the contents.

"Looks like I'm up against a water type user. She has used three Pokemon so far: Poliwhirl, Crawdaunt, and Ducklett. This should be a breeze if she sticks to schedule. Raichu should blow these fish out of the water. Who is Eli up against, Atlas?"

"Eli will be facing number 59," responded Atlas, who graciously handed the files over to Eli for inspection. Eli observed the contents of the file. This time, he would be up against a trainer who didn't specialize in any particular strategy. She just went with what worked. Smeargle was the last Pokemon that she had remaining after the preliminary rounds where she went 4-1 with a mediocre strength of schedule. Liyanna was her name, according to the file. She was an African-american girl with short blue hair. A tank top rested calmly on her shoulder as her large, white smile painted the rest of the picture. Her Smeargle was a specimen, as it knew only three attacking moves. The moveset applied to the painter was an interesting one consisting of hyper beam, thunder, sheer cold, and sketch. This intimidating moveset struck fear into the heart of Eli. Thunder and sheer cold drove away Zubat and Bulbasaur, but there was no clear way to win with Arcanine either. Scouring the PokeDex, Eli found the move sketch, as it was the only move in this set that he didn't know the effects of. According to the PokeDex, the move permanently copied the moves of another Pokemon to utilize for Smeargle. This strategy would turn any overpowering move into a disadvantage. Eli would have to deviate from his usual strategy for him to advance to the next round. The group then moved on to analyzing Atlas' matchup for the next round.

"This round, I will be up against number 170," uttered Atlas. He swung open the file to observe his own notes that he had taken. "Let's see here… uh-hu, yeah. Alrighty, I should be ready to roll this round. I'm facing this chick named Whitney. She lost all of the Pokemon she normally used in prelims, so now she is stuck using a Miltank. Should be easy going," finished Atlas. The group all wished each other the best of luck before departing towards their designated battlefield, courtesy of the que from the director of the tournament. Eli ducked out of the frosted glass door of the trainers' lounge and into the bustling hallways of the stadium. He dodged fans and media members seeking an interview. Now, Eli was actively trying to size down his ego-which had just recently flared up. He knew that in order to win this round, he must take his opponent as seriously as he had taken Atlas the first time the partners had battled. Finally, Eli walked through the doors, where a roaring crowd cheered his arrival. He stepped onto the platform, where Liyanna was perched on her side of the field. Eli took a moment to observe the battlefield. This domain consisted of a ground riddled with patches of snow and ice. Movement would be impaired for both Pokemon in conditions such as these. Snowy rocks also sprouted amongst the ice, adding shelters for weakened Pokemon. As Eli looked up, he realized that this arena contained a plastic bubble over it to control the temperature. Icy cold temperatures hacked away at all of the people in the arena, but there were still many hardcore fans cheering in the audience. The battle referee began to read out the rules.

"Today, we have a battle in the Sweet 16 between our number-one seed, Eli from Cobalt Town, and our number-four seed, Liyanna from Goldenrod City. Each trainer is allowed the use of only one Pokemon, and the winner will be determined when one trainer's Pokemon is unable to battle. I hope you both are ready, because it is time to begin!" shouted the referee. His remarks drew massive applause from the audience. Liyanna made the first move.

"Picasso, let's go get 'em!" shouted the petite girl. The beagle flew out of his Pokeball and promptly landed with a thud on the battlefield. Eli would need to take advantage of the low stats of Smeargle in order to overcome its massive moveset.

"Screech, I choose you!" screamed Eli. Eli's logic was that since the field would play to a massive disadvantage to Smeargle, Zubat could avoid it by soaring above the battlefield. Now, Eli would just have to avoid the attacks that Smeargle used and he would be golden. However, Liyanaa had a different idea.

"Picasso, use sheer cold, now," shouted Liyanna, who smirked. Even though Eli though Liyanna and Smeargle would be at a disadvantage in this climate, it would actually boost the power of sheer cold even more. Smeragle absorbed the frosty air around him, before charging up a beam of energy in his mouth. The white beam of energy sprang towards Zubat, but Eli drove the attack off course.

"Screech, now dodge it and use confuse ray!" The minute bat dodged the attack and launched a ball of energy towards the beagle. Smeargle hid behind one of the ice-infested rocks on the field, before calling out his custom move. He used his tail to sketch a marvelous drawing of the previous attack onto the rock lying in front of him. He then stared into the drawing, before developing a determined look onto his face. Sketch had worked successfully- Smeargle had adapted the move confuse ray to use for his own bidding. Now, it was Liyanna's turn to command Smeargle.

"Picasso, now use confuse ray! But make sure it doesn't miss!" The dog launched an aurora at Zubat, and the attack hit successfully. Zubat teetered in the air recklessly. This then gave time for Smeargle to charge up a match-ending attack. "Picasso, wipe out this bat. Charge up a hyper beam, now!" shouted Liyanna. Smeargle did so, and Zubat continued to teeter in the air aimlessly. Eli, who suddenly became very nervous, refused to say anything. He needed to wait out the confusion. When the hyper beam was ready to fire, Liyanna refused to pull the trigger on the attack. She wasnted to make the attack have a larger diameter, so that she would not risk having Smeargle sit defenseless for the next turn. Eli winced as Liyanna still refused to give a command. The beam of pure power grew quickly, and it soon encompassed more than the size of Zubat. However, as soon as Liyanna gave the signal to fire out the attack, Zubat miraculously snapped away from his confusion. Eli rejoiced quickly, before shouting out a command.

"Screech, fly straight up!" shouted Eli.

"Picasso, blast the bat with hyper beam!" screeched Liyanna. Both commands were obeyed, and the beam of energy chased Zubat further and further up into the sky. Right before the roof was reached, Zubat pulled away from his flight pattern. The attack smashed into the ceiling, which began to let in sunlight. The ice quickly melted under the pressure of the heat, and a swimming pool was created around Smeargle. Zubat flew towards him at a break-neck pace, smashing into him with an uber powerful wing attack. Smeargle was defenseless against the first attack, and it hindered him greatly. Smeargle hunched over, opening the door for Eli to strike.

"Screech, keep hitting him with wing attacks until he gives in!" shouted Eli. The minute bat's wings acted as clubs as he repeatedly bashed the small beagle deeper into the ground. Finally, Zubat slammed into Smeargle one last time before the painter collapsed lifelessly on the damp ground. Before the referee could make the call, Zubat was engulfed in a white light. The whole crowd gasped, as they were about to see something very remarkable. The contours of the bat began to change, as its wings grew larger, along with its mouth. Fangs sprouted from the open mouth of the beast, and Eli swiped out his PokeDex to enter this monster into his PokeDex. The dual screens of the machine illuminated, and the rote voice began to read out the description of the beast. It read, _Golbat. Attacking with its sharp fangs, this Pokémon can drain three hundred cubic centimeters of blood per bite. _Eli and the audience shared a cheer, as the referee ruled in Eli's favor. He had punched his ticket to the Elite 8.

End of Chapter 29


	30. Chapter 30: He's Elite

Chapter 30: He's Elite

Eli bounced towards the trainers' lounge after his recent Sweet 16 victory over Liyanna. As his feet pattered down the polished, modern hallway, he began to think about his next round. He knew that as each round surpassed him, the competition swirling around him would get stiffer and stiffer. The odds of him facing one of the Cobalt Town Crew in the final four spiked, as Sarah only needed to win one more match for the two to meet. However, that also assumed that Eli could topple his next opponent. To find out who the next of Eli's victims would be, Eli's hand extended to the cold, metal handle on the frosted glass door. At his command, it swung open. Fortunately, the other two remaining members of the Cobalt Town Crew were still there. Eli sat down in the red velvet chair to interrogate them on the happenings in the Sweet 16.

"Atlas, how did the last round go, man?" asked Eli, who had an interrogative look on his face.

"It went pretty well. Charizard smoked 'em, but it did take some time. That Miltank sure was annoying. However, I won and I will be moving on to the Elite 8 with the two of you guys," finished Atlas, who let out a sigh of relied. Eli could see that the stress of the tournament was beginning to take effect on the young boy. Large bags were drooping under his eyes, and his hand cramped from writing and updating the biographies of the remaining battlers. Atlas then posed the next question to Sarah. "How did your round go, Sarah?"

"Well, I'm still here so that's a start," chuckled Sarah, who was able to let out a packet of stress with the laugh. "I went up against a fierce Crawdaunt. He was more physical with my Raichu than I would have liked, but we skidded by. I hope I never have to battle another Crawdaunt, because it sure did hit hard," divulged Sarah, who then asked Eli about the contents of his round.

"It went really well. The foe's Smeargle was a challenge, but my Screech and I overcame the challenge. The malicious attacks by Smeargle made my Screech stronger- enough that Screech evolved from a Zubat to a Golbat," remarked Eli. This statement drew shock from both Sarah and Atlas. Both congratulated him on the accomplishment, before the trio began to work out next round's strategies.

"Sarah, next round you will be facing number 165," said Atlas. He exchanged a file labeled 165 with Sarah. She quickly scanned the contents of the file, before shutting it. "How does it look?" asked Atlas.

"To be honest, not so good Atlas. The trainer, Maurice, uses a Steelix and a Golem; two Pokemon that I will have a lot of trouble with no matter which Pokemon I use. Either Raichu or Mawile will have to go out and fight. My Raichu is stronger, but the risk of losing him in a battle this big is too great. The disadvantage and risks are too great for me in this battle; I will be sacrificing Mawile in this battle. If I get lucky, I will see you guys in the next round. Don't count on it. However, go win it for Cobalt Town, OK?" raged Sarah, as she quickly arose from her chair and stormed out of the room, unhappy with the pairing she had received. Now, Atlas picked up his file, which was labeled 18. He opened up the file to observe the markings he had written into the paper. His head arose with the exact opposite expression as Sarah had. Smiling from ear to ear, Atlas explained the situation without Eli beckoning for him to do so.

"Oh boy, I sure have gotten lucky with the pairing this tournament. This round, I am facing a trainer who only has a Vileplume remaining. My attacks and typing should work to my advantage. Charizard is going to mop the floor with this plant," grinned Atlas. He pumped his fist in excitement.

"Atlas, I hate to rain on your parade, but she could easily come out this round and throw a changeup on you. You have to prepare for everything, even if the victory looks easy," warned Eli, who had almost lost due to his overwhelming confidence. Atlas conceded that point, before handing Eli the file for his next round.

"This round, you will be facing number 57," commented Atlas, who proceeded to hand Eli a file with the number labeled on the top of it. Eli thanked him, before opening up the file. A bright picture was stapled to the top corner of the file. It displayed an image of a young boy who looked no more than ten. While looking through his profile, Eli saw that the boy went 4-1 in the preliminary rounds, so he would be no easy out in the competition. Cacturne was his all-star Pokemon, as it had won every battle for the boy so far. With further scanning of the profile, Eli saw that his name was Darren. Darren had pale skin with shaggy black hair, and sunglasses rested upon his large, bony nose. Eli knew that this trainer would be a formidable opponent, but that Arcanine would have the best shot at taking this cactus and trainer out. A lot was riding on Arcanine's shoulders this tournament, so he would have to step up to advance to the Final Four. Eli then thanked Atlas for his help compiling the files, and he headed for the door.

A roaring crowd greeted Eli at the stadium, chanting his name in unison. Eli smiled and waved at the fans, who greeted him with even more applause. Standing across the rocky field was his opponent, Darren. Darren stood confidently at the other end of the field, looking straight into Eli's eyes, making sure not to break eye contact. He was trying to intimidate Eli, but Eli simply returned the glare, fighting fire with fire. The referee broke the eye contact by calling out the rules for the battle.

"Hello everyone! Welcome to this Elite Eight matchup between the three seed Darren from New Bark Town and the number one overall seed, Eli from Cobalt Town!" The crowd roared with excitement, as the referee began to bark out again. "Each trainer will be allowed one Pokemon, and once said Pokemon is unable to battle, the other trainer wins! On your mark, get set, go!" Darren claimed the first move.

"Cacturne, I choose you!" The sides of the Great Ball ruptured and a green beast erupted from the hollow space. It had a glare stuck on his face, resembling the one of its owner. It crossed its arms, and beckoned for Eli to make a move.

"Yippers, let's go!" shouted Eli. The majestic dog's paws pounded on the ground, unleashing a roar from its unhinged jaws. This display drew a roar from the crowd, which caused Darren to wince before regaining his composure. Darren made the first move.

"Cacturne, use focus blast!" shouted Darren. The cactus figure pulled a brown ball out of the air, and threw it out towards Arcanine. The dog leaped out of the way to avoid the path of the blast, and began to dash towards the green humanoid.

"Yippers," shouted Eli, "use tackle!" The dog dashed towards Cacturne, but the dog barely missed the plant. The Cacturne then responded by summoning another focus blast attack and smashing it into the back of the dog. Arcanine yelped loudly, and Eli screamed along with it. However, Eli thought quickly by barking for another attack.

"Yippers, roll over and use flamethrower, now!" The dog rolled on its furry back and launched a white-hot column of fire towards the foe Cacturne. The attack made a direct hit on the plant and sent in flying back. Without letting up his attack, Arcanine began moving forward, continuing to spew fire on the foe Cacturne. Darren yelled at his Pokemon to get up, but it was no use. The sheer power of Arcanine's attack was kissing any chance of a comeback goodbye. The battle referee eventually came in to stop the attack.

"Eli, call of your dog. This battle is over!" shouted the referee. The crowd erupted in excitement, but Darren's head hung as he called his Cacturne back into his Pokeball. However, Eli stayed on the field for the ceremony dedicated to the last four trainers in the tournament. Atlas came running onto the field, and Eli high-fived him with glee. The joy was dampened by the lack of Sarah's presence on the field. Eli and Atlas both vowed to make it to the finals. The director of the tournament walked out onto the now assembled stage, and Eli took note of the neat pin he had on. It was comprised of two black and blue crescent moons, with a shooting star added in the middle. The director took the microphone before rambling on and on. He then introduced the remaining trainers, and thanked everyone for coming. Eli and Atlas then went back to the trainers' lounge to gameplan for the next round.

End of Chapter 30


	31. Chapter 31: The FInal Four

Chapter 31: The Final Four

Eli and Atlas squabbled all the way back to the trainers' lounge. It was up to the two of them to win this tournament for Cobalt Town. As they entered, the lounge felt barren and desolate, mostly because there were no more than 10 people in the room. A friend accompanied one trainer, who Eli recognized as the one to beat Sarah. The duo was watching replays of Eli's previous battles on his laptop, while the friend jotted down notes onto a lined sheet of notebook paper. Atlas summoned Eli's attention by proding him with a file marked 165. This file was a photocopy of the one he had handed to Sarah before her Elite Eight matchup. Eli opened the file to view the information contained inside. The notes of the last battle were already scribbled in, so Eli could get an in-depth look of how the battle went. Mawile had been Sarah's choice in the last battle, and Golem had been the choice of Maurice. Maurice was the name of the trainer who toppled the third member of the Cobalt Town Crew. Maurice's Golem was extremely shoddy. Dig was its primary move, but it also knew rock tomb, tackle, and rock climb. While Golem's defenses were high, it was very slow. If Maurice chose this Pokemon, Eli would counter by choosing Bulbasuar. Bulbasaur's attacks would cripple Golem, and it would lead to an easy victory for Eli. However, Maurice's other Pokemon, Steelix, would be more of an even match for Bulbasaur. The steel typing equipped on this Pokemon made it a tough out in any match, but Arcanine's fire type attacks would smother the rock snake in a fearsome pain. Eli knew that Maurice would not choose Steelix, because Eli had shown the strength of Arcanine in the elimination rounds. Bulbasaur, who was utilized less, would be overlooked as Maurice prepped for Arcanine. Eli thanked Atlas one more time for all of the help he had given him, and wished him luck for the next round.

As Eli headed out the door of the lounge, he began to look back at all the progress he had made in his journey. He had savored many victories along the way, but he also had to taste the bitterness of defeat when Diglett died against Voltair. Eli realized how big of a risk every battle was, and how tough his opponents were beginning to get. He arrived at the stadium with a packed audience, and Eli riled them up even more. His opponent, Maurice, was already standing on the stage. Maurice was wearing a white collared shirt, coupled with khakis that cut off at his ankles. He relished spending time on the stage, and he would be no easy victory. The battle referee called out the rules before the trainers began. Maurice made the first move.

"Golem, I choose you!" shouted Maurice, who was fully expecting Eli to send out Arcanine as he did in the previous round. However, Eli had already planned for this situation.

"Syntha, let's go!" exclaimed Eli, who loved to see the worried look on Maurice's face at this. The green dinosaur leaped out of his Pokeball and landed with a thud on the ground. He smiled gleefully, which drew massive applause from the crowd. Eli made the first move. "Syntha, whip up a leech seed, now!" shouted Eli. On command, a small seed sprung from the bulb atop Bulbasaur's back. It sailed through the air, drawing no command from Maurice. As the seed stuck in between the rocky armor of Golem, it rapidly began to sprout, encompassing the rocky beast in a mess of vines. Golem struggled to move, but it still looked as if he could attack well. His massive body was overworking the leech seed. Maurice, quickly derived a strategy to free his Pokemon from the shackles of the attack.

"Golem, use rock climb to destroy the vines around you!" thundered Maurice. The once minute claws that Golem possessed grew massive in size, and he began to slowly slash away the vines. He was making progress, but it would still take time for him to destroy all of the malicious vines. Eli seized the opportunity to charge up his Pokemon.

"Syntha, us growth now!" cried Eli. Bulbasaur began to absorb the rays of the sun as the minute bulb on his back began to pulsate. It was now a race to see who could brace themselves for the next attack. Eli had the advantage so far, and he would ultimately have the call on when to attack. Finally, Golem shredded the last of the vines that had held him back, and he began to run forward towards Bulbasaur. Eli held his ground as Maurice gave out his next attack.

"Golem, use tackle now!" barked Maurice. The giant rock lowered his shoulder as he bounded towards the small dinosaur. When Golem was about 20 yards away, Eli gave his triumphant order.

"Syntha, blow his away with energy ball!" bellowed Eli. Bulbasaur opened his jaws and summoned an orb on green energy in his mouth. He then hurled it towards the Golem, which smashed right into his rocky armor. With the growth boosted attack, this was sure to knock the beast out. Golem kneeling on the ground, panting from all of the energy he had exerted so far. Maurice tried for one last attack in the battle.

"Golem use dig now!" The giant beast clawed under the surface of the ground, but all of this energy was hurting his chances of hanging in the battle. Eli, who had experience with using dig, knew what to do.

"Syntha, blast an energy ball down that hole that Golem is digging! Hurry!" cried Eli, who knew this would spell disaster for Golem. The small dinosaur bounded towards the hole in the ground and fired off a fearsome energy ball down the path. A loud scream was audible from the hole, and the referee stopped the fight. The crowd went nuts as Eli walked off of the field victoriously.

End of Chapter 31


	32. Chapter 32: The Championship

Chapter 32: The Championship

For the first time al tournament, Eli and Atlas were not huddled together in the trainers' lounge. This time, the duo from Cobalt Town was spread apart, sitting in chairs at the opposite side of the room. They both nervously awaited the final round of the tournament. Many prizes were up for grabs. 10,000P and a Pokemon Egg would both be given to the winner, while there was no prize for second place. Atlas, who had not given Eli the file containing Atlas' information, was more nervous than Eli. He anxiously flipped through the three pages of information on Eli. Atlas was pinpointing every action that Eli and his Pokemon had completed throughout the tournament, while Eli took a different approach. Instead of focusing on what his opponent might do, Eli decided to reflect on his own Pokemon and their skills. Golbat could command the sky and turn opponents against themselves with confuse ray, but he lacked the sheer attacking power to keep up with a superior fighter such as Charizard. Arcanine was probably Eli's strongest choice, as his moveset encompassed a wide variety of attacks. Dogs such as him matched up well with skilled physical attackers like Machoke, who Atlas had previously used. However, Arcanine would struggle against ground, rock, or water types that could be summoned by Atlas. Bulbasaur provided the necessary checks for those Pokemon, as his grass type attack could squash those types of Pokemon. Alas, Charizard would be a futile matchup for Bulbasaur, as the dinosaur would cripple under the lizard's fire attacks. All things considered, Eli had no easy out against Atlas. Without the information that was normally provided to him, he struggled to find a way to elevate his strategy versus serious opponents. The only true advantage that Eli held was his keen ability to think on his feet. Winging it would be Eli's only option in this fight, as he knew that Atlas would be furiously planning and attempting to predict every strategy that Eli had ever implemented. Suddenly, the frosted glass doors of the lounge swung open, and two familiar faces popped through the doorway. Sarah White and Pete White, Eli's mom and dad, came in the door. They grinned happily and pulled up two chairs so that they could sit next to Eli.

"How are you honey?" asked Eli's caring mother.

"I'm doing well," responded Eli. "However, I'm really nervous for the upcoming round," mumbled Eli, who tried to hide those comments from Atlas. Eli's dad smiled back at him before delivering a pat on the back.

"Don't be nervous Eli. You've made it this far, so you have nothing to fear. You have beat him before, so all you have to do is do that one more time," comforted Pete, who smiled graciously at Eli's nervous face. Eli thanked his parents as they calmly rose from their chairs. They smiled at Eli one last time before exiting the lounge. Soon, Atlas' family came through the frosted glass doors. His mom, dad, and younger sister all had made the journey to visit Atlas. A smile burst onto Atlas' face as he jumped out of his chair to give his little sister a hug. He then hugged him mom and dad, before allowing them to sit down. Finally sitting the family of four quietly discussed Atlas' journeys so far, and how much fun he had ahead of him. His family then departed to go snag some seats to watch the battle. Eli then broke the silence.

"Atlas, we'll still be friends no matter what goes down today, right?" questioned Eli. He hoped that this match would not destroy the friendship that Eli and Atlas had developed this tournament.

"I guarantee, no matter what happens, I'll still be your bro, Eli. No doubt about it," responded Atlas. Eli looked up from his gaze towards his Pokeballs to shoot Atlas a smile. Atlas returned the favor, and both stood up simultaneously. Eli departed out of the trainers' lounge on the right side, while Atlas departed on the left. Beginning his trip down the hallway towards battlefield 6, nervousness began to swallow Eli. All of the confidence that he had ever had was quickly washed away. Trying to stay strong, Eli began to steady his breathing as he came upon the correct battlefield. He opened the heavy, iron door to the facility before entering to a roaring crowd.

The crowd erupted when both trainers had taken the stage. Both Eli and Atlas waved triumphantly, but both realized that this was the calm before the storm. Eli scanned the crowd and saw many familiar faces. Atlas' family, Eli's family, Professor Oak, Sarah, Isaac, Hydro, and Oxy were all in attendance. This time, Eli saw that there would be an announcer commentating the battle. The announcer, a middle-aged man, had his black hair slicked back with an absurd amount of gel. His tight face roared out, amping up the crowd even more than they already were. He then directed all of the attention in the room towards the battle referee, who barked out the rules.

"Hello everyone, and welcome to the final round of the Neon City Pokemon Tournament! I am your battle referee, Lance, and please join me in welcoming our contestants! On this side of the field, we have the Charizard wielding trainer from Cobalt Town, Atlas!" shouted the referee. Many fans in the crowd went wild as Atlas waved to the roaring crowd. "And on this side of the field, we have the undefeated trainer, the number one overall seed who rolls over opponents with his Arcanine, Eli from Cobalt Town!" bellowed the referee. Eli waved vigorously to the crowd, attempting to channel the nervousness out of his body. "Now, let the much awaited battle begin!" finished the referee. Atlas took charge and made the first move.

"Slaking, let's show 'em how we do it!" shouted Atlas. The sides of the Pokeball ruptured, as a massive beast barreled out of the small living space. It had a massive head and a wide body, but it looked very slow. Eli swung out his PokeDex to check the information on the Pokemon. It read, _Slaking, the Lazy Pokémon. Slaking lives most of its life asleep, eating only grasses that grow within its reach. _ Eli then looked at the ability of the beast. Truant was the name of the ability, and it only let Slaking move once every other turn. This would be a big advantage for Eli, as he could attack the monkey with an onslaught of attacks more often, without feeling resistance. It was then time for Eli to make his move.

"Syntha, I choose you!" shouted Eli. The small, green dinosaur was summoned out onto the field, and he yelled cheerfully to the audience. This drew a multitude of applause, which brought a smile to both the faces of Atlas and Eli. Right when Atlas was about to make his move, the funky announcer cut him off.

"Wow! A very even matchup so far between these two trainers, it will be interesting to see where it goes," explained the announcer. Atlas then made his move.

"Slaking, go get 'em with bulk up!" shouted Atlas. The massive beast flexed his bulging muscles, which registered as an attack and defense boost. Eli cringed at the sight of the massive beast gaining physical power. Its attack and defense stats were high enough to begin with, and Eli did not need any more work. Now, it was Eli's turn.

"Syntha, law down a leech seed, now!" shouted Eli. A minute seed sprung from the crevaces of Bulbasaur's bulb, and it landed in front of Slaking. Eli had forewarned Bulbasaur about potential strong physical attackers, and how to counter them. This was one of the methods Eli had cooked up. The byproduct of the leech seed attack was a wall of vines that made it hard for Slaking to maneuver around. This would hold back powerful physical attacks that Slaking would charge up. This was a perfect strategy for Eli, because he would be able to utilize the extra turns to continue to build up walls. Now, Eli was privileged to attack again. "Syntha, now use growth and absorb the energy from the sun!" cried Eli. The organic bulb that rested upon Bulbasaur's back pulsated with a natural energy. His attacks were now stronger than they normally would be. Eli smiled victoriously as his plan was all falling together now. The only disadvantage of the plan was that Bulbasuar now had a hard time firing through the wall of vines that he had created. The announced then cut in to give his input on the action.

"Now, after Slaking lost a turn due to his ability, Truant, Atlas has the opportunity to destroy what his opponent has set up," chimed the announcer. Atlas then made his move.

"Slaking, chop down that barrier using brick break, now!" shouted Atlas, who watched as his massive Pokemon crushed the barrier standing in front of it. The Slaking was able to lurk a few feet closer while breaking down the barrier, before he had to stop for rest. Eli was terrified by the sheer power of the attack. While Slaking did have an attack booster, it still took a lot of energy to wreck the wall that easily. Now, Eli had the opportunity to move twice in a row, again.

"Syntha, make another leech seed wall in front of Slaking, again!" shouted Eli. The best way for Eli to topple the Slaking was to wear it down while Bulbasuar compiled stat boosters. As another minute seed sprung from the back of Bulbasaur, it sprouted a larger, thicker wall of vines in front of the massive Slaking. Eli then repeated his same method from the last turn. "Syntha, use growth again!" cried Eli. Again, the organic bulb that rested upon Bulbasaur's back pulsated with a natural energy, and the dinosaur's attack and special attack stats were boosted. Eli know knew that all of Bulbasaur's attacks would have double the power with all of the stat boosts, so he was pondering attacking the next turn. Atlas then started in before the announcer could give any more useless input.

"Slaking, use brick break to knock down those vines, one more time!" shouted Atlas. Slaking raised his massive mad and swatted the massive wall down to the ground. Eli quavered as the brute force of Slaking was on full display. It was now Eli's chance to blast slaking with two powerful attacks, one after another.

"Syntha, blast two of your most powerful energy balls right at Slaking! Take that Pokemon out!" bellowed Eli. Two green orbs rocketed into Slaking with a powerful force, and a puff of smoke surrounded Atlas' Pokemon. Scars covered the foe Slaking when it was Atlas' move, but the announcer cut in.

"Eli's Bulbasaur land two powerful hits from energy ball on Slaking. How will Slaking overcome this challenge?" yelled the announcer. Atlas glared at the announcer for stealing his moment, but continued.

"Slaking, now use slack off!" shouted Atlas. Slaking just remained in his same spot, but all the scars that had accumulated on Slaking's body were washed away. Eli was stunned; all of his hard work was nullified by using just one attack. Eli was angered, but he attacked once more.

"Syntha, use growth, then use energy ball one more time!" shouted Eli. The organic bulb that rested upon Bulbasaur's back pulsated with a natural energy once more, and he converted the energy so that it blasted out of him in the form of a green orb. This attack crushed Slaking, but the massive beast managed to stay alive for the time being, but it looked hurt. Atlas then commandeered control of the battle.

"Slaking, go use focus punch, now!" cried Atlas. The massive beast began to calm its inner self as the powerful attack charged up. Eli knew that he had to attack soon, or he would have to face certain defeat.

"Syntha, make another leech seed wall in front of Slaking!" The obedient dinosaur did as he was told, and he summoned another wall in front of the focused beast. He then was allowed to receive another command. "Syntha, charge up a massive energy ball, and blast Slaking when he comes through the wall!" cried Eli. Bulbasaur began to charge a massive orb of green light in his mouth. The fluorescent orb began to expand, as Slaking's turn lurched closer. Then, when Slaking had sufficiently charged his attack, Atlas gave his word.

"Slaking, unleash you focus punch now!" emitted Atlas. The massive beast flung his powerful fists straight through the wall of ivy and rushed towards Bulbasaur. Now, it was Eli's turn to attack.

"Syntha, unleash your energy ball now!" cried Eli, who hoped that all of the energy built up inside Bulbasaur was enough to level the opposing Slaking. If this didn't put a stop to Slaking, Eli would be completely out of options. The massive green sphere erupted when it came into contact with Slaking. The beast went flying back, and landed on its back. No signs of life were emitted from the beast, so the announcer divulged that Eli had won the match. Erupting with joy, the crowd cheered for Eli's victory in the finals. Eli then ventured over to where Atlas was standing by his Slaking. "You did well, Atlas. You almost had me this time," soothed Eli. He could tell that Atlas was upset with the loss.

"Thanks Eli. I hope we see each other again soon," uttered Atlas, who returned Slaking into his Pokeball before walking off stage. The director of the tournament then walked up to Eli to congratulate him on his victory. The announcer's voice boomed over all of the crowd noise, but Eli was handed a 10,000P check and a glass case containing a Pokemon Egg. Eli waved to the crowd one last time, before walking off of the stage with his Bulbasaur.

Eli was the only one sitting in the Pokemon Center lobby. The place seemed so foreign compared to the trainers' lounge back at the stadium. While he was sitting there, he inspected the egg. It was blue for the most part, but it had a few white spots lining the top of the egg. Curiosity about what the egg could be drove Eli crazy, but he determined that the best way to deal with it was with a good night's rest. He handed his Pokeballs to Nurse Joy, but he kept his egg jar clutched in his skinny arms. He then retreated to his dorm room where he shut off his light and basked in the glory of the championship.

End of Chapter 32


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter 33: A New Friend

Eli awoke from his long sleep the next day. He felt refreshed and stress free, as the pressure resulting from the tournament had finally drifted away. Rolling out of the confines of the warm comforter, he pulled on a red shirt and blue athletic shorts before walking over to the mirror in his room. As he viewed his reflection in the mirror, he realized how much more he had matured since he had begun his voyage across Perodia. It was not necessarily bad, but it was surely a stark change. Eli brushed his teeth vigorously before making his bed, packing up his backpack, and then proceeded to exit his room to walk into the lobby.

Considering that it was 8 AM, there were surprisingly few people lingering in the lobby. A few trainers, who Eli recognized as trainers from the Neon City Tournament, sat in the lobby clicking away at their laptops. Eli trotted up to Nurse Joy, who greeted him with a smile. He commandeered his Pokemon from the gracious nurse before exiting the Pokemon Center via the automatic glass doors. With his blue and white egg in hand and Bulbasaur by his side, Eli began to navigate his way out of the labyrinth of the city. He maneuvered through the bustling city streets with ease, but it did take a toll on his stomach. He stopped at a restaurant at the brink of the city to grab a bite to eat. Entering the small diner, Eli was seated by a cheery hostess who took his order with ease. Blueberry pancakes were the special for the day, so Eli selected those as his first meal of the day. The owner of the mom and pop diner brought out Eli's order a few minutes later, and she also brought a free bowl of PokeFood for Bulbasaur to eat. Eli thanked the woman and she went off to help her other customers. As his fork pierced the soft, fluffy pancakes, he quickly shoveled a massive bite into his mouth. These were the best pancakes that he had ever tasted, so he raked in bite after bite of the pancakes until the two circles had completely disappeared from the plate. Last night, Eli had cashed his 10,000P check that he had obtained for winning the tournament, so he easily paid the 20P charge for the pancakes. He arose from his chair and left. Still with over half of his prize money in his pocket after transferring a large sum of it to his parents, he strolled down the road of the city before coming upon a small, out-of-the-way sign that read Route 7 in large, white letters. The blue and white speckled egg, which still sat motionlessly in its glass veil, remained tightly clutched in Eli's arms, as Bulbasaur paced happily alongside Eli.

Route 7 was an interesting one, mostly because of the rapid transition from large city to desolate wilderness. No Pokemon had dared to come out and see Eli yet, so he had to resort to finding them instead. He returned Bulbasaur to his Pokeball, before unsheathing a Great Ball from his pocket.

"Yippers, let's go find a cool Pokemon, OK?" whispered Eli, who was transitioning into stealth mode. The massive dog came out of his Great Ball with a flash of white light, and scanned the area for Pokemon. Arcanine put his nose to the ground and began to sniff the scents of wild Pokemon that roamed the forest. Eli anxiously followed the orange and white beast, as it vigorously hunted for unassuming Pokemon to corner. Suddenly, Arcanine's ears twitched up as he pointed his nose towards a shadowed patch of the forest. Limbering down to Arcanine's level, Eli praised the dog before observing the patch of forest that Arcanine had pointed to. Massive trees darkened the floor of the area, and bushes blockaded portions of the ring. Both Eli and Arcanine crawled towards their desired location, and as they lurched closer, a rustling started from the confines of the closest bush. Eli then shot up from his prone location to give Arcanine a command.

"Yippers, tear down its hiding spot using flamethrower, now!" shouted Eli. The massive beast unleashed a white-hot column of fire towards the rustling bush. Now incinerated, the bush's remains covered a small, green figure. It had red slashes under each eye, with a green mohawk lining the top of its head. Eli summoned his PokeDex out of its pocket as its dual screens illuminated. According to the PokeDex, the small beast sitting in front of him was known as Larvitar. It was a rock-dark combination, which usually thrived within the earth before becoming stronger. This Pokemon would be a perfect addition to Eli's team, so he called upon Arcanine to continue weakening the rocky beast. "Yippers, use flamethrower, now!" cried Eli. The white-hot column of fire sprang towards the green animal, and it made direct contact. Larvitar, angered by the attack, called upon his hidden power attack. Blades of grass shot from the ground, but merely bounced off Arcanine. Hidden power, as Eli knew, was an attack that altered its type randomly. This Larvitar had a hidden power grass, which would normally be a benefit against opposing water type Pokemon. Eli then had the opportunity to distribute another order. However, he saw that the wild Larvitar winced after he made his attack. This meant that Larvitar had suffered a burn as a side effect of the flamethrower. That meant that Larvitar would be easier to catch.

"Yippers, use aerial ace, now!" bellowed Eli. The large dog rushed towards Larvitar, and it struck it back into the tree. Larvitar then unleashed a powerful attack ,outrage, which Arcanine dodge with ease. Eli then recognized that it was the time to catch this Larvitar. "You're mine Larvitar!" called out Eli. His arm quickly reached for his pocket as he pulled out an Ultra Ball. Whipping it towards the Larvitar, the Ultra Ball absorbed Larvitar with a flash of white light. Hitting the ground, the Ultra Ball's white button glowed as Eli waited in anticipation. Glowing for a second time, Eli knew that his chances of catching the beast were much higher now. Now cheering as the ball's button glowed for a third time, Eli knew he had caught the wild Larvitar. He sheathed the Pokemon to his backpack, and continued down the road, which now glistened in the beautiful morning light.

End of Chapter 33


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter 34: A New Metropolis

As Eli continued to venture down Route 7 with his blue egg shielded inside a glass cylinder, he and his Bulbasaur admired the beautiful landscape of the path. Various berry bushes speckled the sides of the aging path, while Stanlers, Furrets, and Sawsbuck grazed in the open parts of the field. Bulbasaur often picked Pecha Berries off of unsuspecting bushes with his lengthy vines, and placed them in a pocket of Eli's black backpack. Both of the friends were beginning to feel the beast of hunger creep upon them, so they stopped at a small rivulet to eat lunch. Eli unleashed the rest of his Pokemon from their capsules. Golbat swooped overhead, grinning to the best of his ability while he anxiously waited for food. Arcanine walked over to Eli and rubbed his muzzle on the boy, which caused Eli to dispense an extra Pecha Berry from his backpack. The dog thanked Eli by licking his hand before pacing over to the stream to snag a sip of water. Larvitar, the newest addition to the team, sat, frightened, below one of the tree stumps. Eli saw this occurring, so he invited the rock Pokemon to come gather additional food for the group. He happily agreed, and the three acquaints, Eli, Bulbasaur, and Larvitar, all walked around the campsite in search of more food.

Luckily, the group of friends came upon a hive of Combee. These would be an easy target for stew ingredients, as the honey would sweeten the flavor of the dish. Normally, acquiring this delicious nectar would be a challenge, as the wild Combee could punish Bulbasaur with the use of their bug type moves. However, with Larvitar being comprised of both rock and ground types, it could easily rummage through the Combee nest to recover some honey. Eli commanded the rocky friend to do so, and it happily burrowed through the line of raging Combee to recover a full quart of honey. Eli thanked Larvitar, and the trio headed back to the campsite with the other Pokemon.

When the trio arrived, all of the other Pokemon were frolicking about in the organic playground. Eli's egg still lay peacefully in the backpack, while his money was still tucked tightly in his back pocket. Both Arcanine and Eli then went over to collect a mass of firewood for the group, so that their lunch today could be warm. While Eli struggled to bring back three logs, Arcanine hoarded up more than 15 easily. Again, the duo walked back to the campsite, where they began to assemble a fire.

Arranging the firewood was no easy task, as all of the logs had to rest upon each other for support. With the help of Larvitar and Bulbasaur, Eli was able to construct a teepee with the wood, with smaller sticks contained in the middle of the wooden house. Arcanine then shot out a small ember of flame toward the smaller sticks contained in the middle, and the fire roared with life. The temperature gradually rose as all of the friends, people and Pokemon alike, assembled a stand so that a cauldron could rest above the warming flames. When all of the necessary parts were assembled, Eli filled the cauldron with water and rested it above the flames. Gradually, Eli added Pecha Berries to the boiling water, so that their flavors could roam the swirling stew. Finally, he generously poured the honey in to the symphony of flavors. Sweeting the stew, the honey added a pleasant kick to the end of the stew. Now, the group would play the waiting game to let the flavors that they had applied clash and mix, so that the perfect stew could be achieved. After all that waiting, Eli lifted the steaming cauldron from the stand it rested on, and he poured five large helpings of the meal into plastic bowls. The group devoured the delicious stew, and they were prepared to finish their journey through Route 7.

Since Eli had already caught his Pokemon from this route, he decided to attempt to get to the city quicker than if he chose to walk. He returned all of the other Pokemon to their Pokeballs, except Arcanine. Arcanine was left out for the sole purpose of Eli riding on his back to accelerate the speed of the trip down Route 7. Eli hopped on the back of the majestic Arcanine before calling out for him to run. The beast howled with excitement, and shot off at a reckless pace towards the city. Wind coursed through the beast's fur, as it was now free to run for the first time in quite awhile. Eli called on Arcanine for stop when they reached a massive arch with a sign drilled into it. The sign divulged that the duo was now entering Chromium City. Eli immediately found the Pokemon Center to get more information, and to reheal his Larvitar.

After giving his Pokemon to Nurse Joy, he would need to kill some time before his Larvitar would be fully healed. So, he decided to explore the city. He walked up and down the streets of the quiet city. It was a stark contrast from Neon City, where cars buzzed and hummed at every hour of the day. Eli then located a massive, shining building labeled 'GYM'. Eli walked up to the sign to receive information about the gym he would be challenging. Apparently, it was a steel type gym and the leader's name was Colby. Using Arcanine, this gym would be a breeze. Eli, with his egg in hand, headed back to the Pokemon Center. Before he was about to open the door to the hospital, the egg Eli had been holding pulsated strongly. Eli, in shock, set it down on the ground. It pulsated again, before a small crack emerged at the top of the egg. Quickly, Eli removed the cylinder that encompassed the egg. Now, the egg split right down the middle, and an unfamiliar creature slithered out of its egg.

End of Chapter 34


	35. Chapter 35

Chapter 35: Trade Shop

Slithering out of his egg, a small snake crawled out of his previous home of an egg. It had a white stomach, which was harnessed atop a blue body. Her large nose stuck out of her face, and two aerodynamic ears flaked off of the sides of her head. Eli already knew what her name was going to be: Buddy. He bent over to see eye to eye with the small Pokemon. It cried its name out loudly and curled up into a ball inside Eli's clutches. Eli reached into his backpack to pull out his PokeDex and look up the information on his newly hatched Pokemon. According to the database, the Pokemon that Eli had just acquired was a Dratini. It was a pure dragon type, but it was able to swim with superb skill. Dratini wrapped around Eli's arm, and the duo walked into the Pokemon Center.

Heads turned rapidly as Eli walked in to the Pokemon Center with his newly hatched Dratini. Eli handed the newborn Pokemon to Nurse Joy, who took the Pokemon into the back room for a moment to give it the necessary treatment to balance its health. Nurse Joy told Eli that the treatment would take a while, so he may as well head over to the Trade Shop to kill some time. After thanking Nurse Joy, Eli walked out of the sliding glass doors of the Pokemon Center and navigated the labyrinth of the city to find the Trade Shop. The building was one of the largest in town- large windows flanked the side of the building while reinforced steel constructed the skeleton of the tower. Eli swung open the heavy metal door and walked into the Trade Shop.

While Eli came to the Trade Shop with no intention to trade, he was introduced to the idea by the overwhelming excitement of the setting. A large, octagonal room was inset into the floor of the main room. Hanging over the room was a jumbotron with current trades flashing by. Current offers also had their own section of the board, and Eli noticed that someone was requesting a Larvitar. Intrigued, Eli descended down the steps of the inset area and found the man who was demanding a Larvitar. The man was wearing a slick, black suit that was a good contrast to his red and blue striped tie. Black glasses were wrapped around his bony face, and he greeted Eli with a firm handshake. The two business partners found a table together and began negotiating.

"Hello. My name is Clark Howard. I am an executive for Eclipse Enterprises. I am looking for a Larvitar for a project at work, and I do have some good Pokemon to offer in return. I assume that since you are sitting here in front of me, that you do have a Larvitar. May I please see it?" questioned the man in the black suit. Eli released the rocky Pokemon from his Ultra Ball as the Pokemon landed on the ground. Mr. Howard looked at the Pokemon and smiled, before returning his attention to Eli. "Very well. I am glad I have finally found someone with a Pokemon this strong. I have two other Pokemon to offer you for this Larvitar. The first is a Hitmonlee," offered Clark Howard. Eli pulled out his PokeDex and looked up Hitmonlee. It was a fighting type that utilized its long legs and strong feet to blast through opponents. While this Pokemon was good fighter who would make a difference on Eli's team, there were better options to be viewed. Clark could see the distaste on Eli's face, so he cut in with his next option. "Or, I also could trade you this Kadabra. It is an interesting Pokemon, so I would be weary with this one," warned Mr. Howard. Again, Eli reverted to his PokeDex to get a taste of what this Pokemon was like. It was a pure psychic type, and it would blow away Hitmonlee in a fight. Kadabra's psychic powers were strong enough to level opponents without breaking a sweat. As an added bonus, the Pokemon would evolve when it was traded- so Eli would acquire an Alakazam instead of a Kadabra.

"I'll take the Kadabra please," responded Eli. The man grinned and happily handed him the Pokeball containing the psychic Pokemon. Eli smiled, but then looked down at Larvitar. Larvitar looked sad, but Eli kneeled down to calm him down. "It will all be OK Larvitar. Even though you weren't with me for that long, it was a great experience with you on my team. I'm sure that Mr. Howard will treat you very well, and that you will be a very strong Pokemon one day. You have a lot of fun ahead of you, so go run at it full speed, OK?" choked Eli, who was struggling to hold back tears. Eli kissed Larvitar on his rocky forehead, as he returned him to his Pokeball. His red silhouette was still engraved in his mind, as he had lost and found a friend at the same moment. Eli thanked Clark Howard for the help, and walked back to the Pokemon Center.

When Eli arrived at the Pokemon Center, he was informed that his Dratini had successfully been brought into the Pokemon world healthy. Eli smiled at this news, before venturing over to the Pokemart to gather supplies for the upcoming gym battle. As soon as Eli arrived at the Pokemart, the owner of the shop recognized him as the one who had won the Neon City Tournament. He praised Eli to no end, before finally giving him a discount on the items in the store. Scanning the shelves of the store, Eli picked out a handful of items that would aid him on his journey. The first was an item called charcoal. It boosted the power of fire type moves, and it would be instrumental if Eli would defeat Colby without a death. Next, Eli found an item that went by the name of a quick claw. This item would boost the speed of the Pokemon wielding it, so it benefited slower Pokemon. Going for the unorthodox approach, Eli would give this item to Golbat. The quick claw would let Golbat be faster then any normal competitor that would challenge them Finally, Eli picked up five red bandanas which, which he would tie around each member of his team. Bulbasaur's bandana would be tied around his bulb, Arcanine's around his furry neck, Golbat's around his feet, but Eli chose not to tie the bandana around Dratini or Alakazam yet. All of the Pokemon who had bandanas had proven themselves in battle, while Dratini and Alakazam had not yet. Finally, Eli paid for his items and began to walk back to the gym.

End of Chapter 35


	36. Chapter 36

Chapter 36: Colby's Castle

When Eli arrived at the third gym, he was awed by the complexity of the building. It appeared to be a medevil castle, but it had a modern look as steel sculpted the skeleton of the building. As Eli was ready to open the door, he was run over by someone walking out of the building. Eli recognized the boy as Atlas, and he held a simple badge in his hand. Colby must have given the badge to Atlas after his victory. Eli brushed himself off, and helped Atlas up off the cold cement.

"How'd it go Atlas?" asked Eli, who was looking to get some insider information on what Pokemon Colby used. Atlas grinned, and then fired back a quick response.

"It went pretty well. Charizard was a huge benefit in the battle. Since Colby uses a multitude of steel types, your Arcanine should mow through them easily," divulged Atlas. This comment reassured Eli that he may be able to strike down this gym easier than Voltair's. Eli then fired back a question that would prove to be a benefit in the upcoming battle.

"What Pokemon did he use against you? Are there any that I shouldn't easily beat?" interrogated Eli. Atlas pondered the answer to this question, his bushy eyebrows bunched up under his red hair.

"Well, he led off using a Steelix against me. That one wasn't too hard, but you need to watch out for its magnitude attack. I beat him by getting my Charizard off the ground with its wings, so all of its powerful attacks were quickly nullified. Scizor was his next Pokemon of choice. This one was more tricky, because it could easily take to the skies just like my Charizard. However, its brutal weakness to his fire type attacks made him an easy target. After Charizard mowed through that challenge, he sent out his Drilbur. This is the part when it got tricky for me. Charizard was worn out after taking down two Pokemon, so he was rendered useless for the rest of the battle. Now, I had to go with my Hitmonchan. This was a challenge for me, because I had just received my Hitmonchan in a trade. However, after dodging many of the attacks from Drilbur, Hitmonchan took the Pokemon down with one swift punch. All in all, Colby is a force to be reckoned with, and not someone that you would want to pick a fight with on a regular basis," reviewed Atlas. Eli thanked Atlas for his feedback, and then he proceeded to swing open the heavy door that blocked passerby from entering the gym.

Eli was stunned when he entered the gym. Instead of a regular Pokeathalon field to battle on, Colby had completely renovated the way the gym would work. Massive steel pipes darted above the field, while others made deep holes and passages in the wall. This field was specifically constructed to benefit steel types, since they could easily take refuge if they were injured during the battle. Steel piping also served as a form of transit for the beasts, as they were used to navigating tunnels this big underground. Standing at the other end of the battlefield, there was a man who looked no older than 25. His short black hair was spiked up with an absurd amount of gel, while he wore a black, leather jacket on his back. Piercing black eyes stared directly at Eli, as Colby knew that this kid would be the next challenger to his gym. Colby picked up a sheet of paper behind him, scanned it for an object he was looking for, and returned in to his cabinet that resided next to the chair he sat in. His gruff voice pierced the chilling air as he called Eli out.

"Ya here for a battle kid?" grunted Colby. His voice echoed off of all of the barriers in the room. Eli winced as the gravity contained in his voice rang out across the room.

"Of course Colby. Can we get this fight underway?" asked Eli, who was trying to contain his nervousness for the battle.

"WELL, aren't you a feisty one. If you wish, we can begin. In this gym, there is no battle referee. This is the street ball equivalent of Pokemon battling. You have to play by my rules. It'll be a one on one battle, and you don't win until none of your opponent's Pokemon can still stand. Are you ready kid?" bellowed Colby. Colby was serious about all of the rules he made. This gym taught you to be tough, and not to show any mercy. Eli would have to learn to kill the puppy. Eli responded by sending out his first choice.

"Yippers, I choose you!" shouted Eli. The massive dog pranced out of his Pokeball and landed intimidatingly on the battlefield. It howled, and the noise sprung off of all the metal in the room. Colby laughed with excitement, as he had a counter lined up for this Pokemon. Voltair had warned him about this Pokemon, and how it could wreck a team with ease.

"What a selfish choice, Eli. I expected better out of you. It is not all about type disadvantages, kid. I'll show you that this battle. Scizor, go and get 'em!" barked Colby. A big red bug flashed out of his Pokeball. The beast had two large claws on each hand, and they could easily manipulate any opponent. The wings perched atop Scizor's back allowed it to hover over the ground, and even fly if necessary. Eli knew that this insect was a bug-steel type, meaning that it would normally perform poorly against a fire type such as Arcanine. However, Colby had warned against relying on types, so it would be interesting to see how the battle played out. Colby made the first move. "Scizor, get to the pipes for refuge. After that, you know what to do," ordered Colby. It seemed that Scizor and Colby had rehearsed this many times before, so Eli should be wary of this combination. Eli now made a bold move to prove his worthiness to Colby.

"Yippers, follow it!" shouted Eli. The large Pokemon bounded up into the air and was swallowed into the pipe that Scizor had buzzed down just moments earlier. Eli knew that Arcanine could beat this Scizor, but it would take a lot of practice. "Yippers, now use flamethrower to heat the pipe's mouth!" shouted Eli. Arcanine sent a column of fire down the pipe, and it came spewing out the other end of the steel cylinder. The attack was so hot that it began to melt the edge of the pipe. As the pipe began to droop, Eli knew that he had Scizor cornered. Now, he could unleash a new attack that he had learned. "Yippers, finish him with an overheat!" cried Eli. Arcanine's intense attack lit up the cylinder that contained the two Pokemon, and sent Scizor flying to the other side of the Pokeathalon field. Now, since they were playing on Colby's rules, Eli would have to smother Scizor in order to win. Now, it was time for Eli to finish this. "Yippers, finish him with aerial ace!" screamed Eli. Arcanine dashed towards Scizor with a crazy amount of speed, leaving a slipstream in his wake. He crashed into Scizor with astounding speed, making sure that he would not be able to walk that hit off. Colby conceded the loss, and returned Scizor to his Pokeball. Eli mirrored this action, which surprised Colby.

"Protecting your baby, huh Eli? No matter, you won't be able to smother this guy. Steelix, let's go!" bellowed Colby. Now, Eli would have to make his move.

"Screech, I choose you," remarked Eli. Golbat came soaring out of his Pokeball, his large wings pattering as he hovered just above the ground.

"I must admit, I wasn't expecting such a rash decision from a trainer like you. It just proves that you aren't worth of the third gym badge," taunted Colby.

"Colby, let me remind you that you were the one to talk about the marginality of type differentials. Let's show him what we can do, Screech!"

End of Chapter 36


	37. Chapter 37

Chapter 37: Soaring Above

Colby's dark eyes pierced the plan of Eli's strategy. Eli had already cooked up a plan where he could terminate Steelix, even though the poison type attacks used by Golbat would have no use at all. In this round, Eli would have to prove himself when playing by someone else's rules. This time around, Eli could show no mercy towards his opponent.

"I must admit, you have learned from me in the short time you have spent in my gym. However, you still have much to learn if you wish to become a master trainer such as I. Steelix, dive into the plumbing and take refuge until you see fit," bellowed Colby. The massive, metal snake roared, revealing its thrashed teeth, and dove into the metal piping that lay under the gym. Echoes rattled up as Steelix's body worked its way down the hole. Finally, the rattling stopped as Steelix had finished burrowing in the hole. Eli knew that Colby was now toying with Eli, testing his battle abilities. If Eli followed the same plan as he had done with Scizor, then Steelix would crush Golbat when he got too far into Colby's territory. However, Eli could only play him to a draw if Golbat remained outside of the piping. Suddenly, Eli came up with a plan to attack Steelix.

"Screech, fly to the opening of the pipe and use supersonic!" cried Eli. A look of confusion came across Colby's face as Golbat launched an aurora of sound down the cylinder. The shrill sound of the attack quickly burrowed down the pipe, and hit Steelix at an amplified volume. To Eli's delight, he could hear the confused Steelix thrashing about in the small confines of the tube. Now, Colby would be forced to draw Steelix out of the hole.

"Steelix, get out of there, now!" shouted Colby. Steelix miraculously made its way out of the tunnel in the gym, and was now lying prone on the battlefield. A large amount of the serpent's energy had been drained from the amplified supersonic attack, and now he was dangerously close to fainting. Eli knew that this was his golden opportunity to strike.

"Screech, finish him with a wing attack," ordered Eli. The bat fluttered toward Steelix at a menacing speed, but was suddenly stopped by Steelix's body binding around him. Eli gasped as Golbat was pinched in the steel body of the beast.

"See that one Eli? That's a wrap attack, and it preys on overly aggressive battlers such as you. This move can only be mastered if you have battled with your Pokemon for a long time. Obviously, you haven't faced the same challenges as I have. Your Golbat is finished," remarked Colby. Steelix squeezed tighter and tighter, as the massive serpent had just escaped his treacherous confusion. Eli only had one shot at his next attack.

"Screech, hit 'em with one last supersonic!" bellowed Eli. Golbat swung open his massive jaws and unleashed a final aurora from his mouth. It came into contact with Steelix's steel head, and the massive snake became dazed. Quickly, it uncoiled as the sounds emitted from the attack caused Steelix's head to throb in pain. Now was Eli's opportunity to turn the tides in the battle. "Screech, finish it off with a wing attack!" This time, wing attack made direct contact, and it drove Steelix back. Again, Steelix thrashed around in his daze and destroyed the battlefield, leaving it ravaged. Recognizing his defeat, Colby resummoned Steelix to his Pokeball.

"I must admit kid, you've proven yourself to be a worthy competitor. Ya know what? You remind me of the boy who challenged me earlier. I believe Atlas was his name. However, even with Atlas' skill, he almost lost his Hitmonchan in a fight against this Pokemon I am about to send out. Now, your Pokemon will suffer. Drillbur, I choose you!" relished Colby. A small mammal erupted out of the Pokeball that Colby threw. Its large snout propelled out into the open air, while his sharp claws were honed for not only digging, but killing. Eli shuddered when this mole was sent out. Drillbur, despite not being evolved yet, looked hardier than the rest of the Pokemon Eli had faced so far. Drilbur carried his owner's glare out onto the battlefield, and he looked Eli down with a dead gaze. Shit was definitely going down.

"Screech, return," mumbled Eli. Eli knew the consequences of leaving Golbat out when facing a Pokemon this strong. Golbat would be pivotal later in the journey, so Eli needed to preserve him as an asset later on. "Thanks for taking down Steelix, Screech. You really did help a lot. Now, go Syntha!" The small dinosaur came out of his Pokeball, and landed gracefully on the wrecked battlefield. Now, it was up to Bulbasaur to sweep this Drilbur.

"Drilbur, use hone claws!" cheered Colby. This move boosted Drilbur's speed, making it a harder target to hit. Now, Eli would have trouble destroying this mole.

"Syntha, now use energy ball!" erupted Eli. Bulbasaur was ready to blast out a ball of power towards Drilbur, when Colby cut the attack off.

"Drilbur," wheezed Colby, "use fissure." A terrified look spread across Eli's face as he knew the consequences of the attack. In this landscape, it would be harder to tell when the earth was ready to split, so fissure would be more accurate. If Bulbasaur was not able to escape this attack, he would be wiped out in an instant. Suddenly, a rupture in the ground widened under the dinosaur. Bulbasaur wailed as he fell into the hole.

End of Chapter 37


	38. Chapter 38

Chapter 38: Darn Drilbur!

The crack widened under Bulbasaur as the dinosaur let loose a shrill scream. When the crack was big enough, Bulbasaur was swallowed into the gaping earth that rested under his small feet. Eli knew that this would probably be the end of the line for his favorite green dinosaur, but he had to remain calm. The greatest of plans would flutter across Eli's mind when he was relaxed and calm, or when he least expected it. Right now, he needed a saving grace plan that would rescue Bulbasuar from the confines of the fissure that had trapped him. Suddenly, his brain opened the floodgates, allowing Eli to let loose his plan.

"Syntha, get to the pipes!" shouted Eli. Bulbasaur immediately understood what Eli was referring to. As Bulbasaur plummeted towards the ground, pipes from the gym buzzed by him. He skillfully reached out with his skinny vines and grabbed onto the rim of the tube. After pulling himself up, he quickly dashed up the steep walls of the pipe and out into the light. Eli cheered as his plan had worked, and re-summoned Bulbasaur back into his Pokeball. Again, just like Golbat, Bulbasaur would be a tremendous help later in the journey, and it was not worth it to lose him now.

"Playing chicken are ya?" taunted Colbly, who still help a smirk on his face. "Afraid that your weak Bulbasaur can't handle the pressure of a real fight? Bring out your next one!" challenged Atlas. This time, Eli would have to put his faith in a Pokemon that he had never used before, but a very powerful one at that.

"Houdini, I choose you!" shouted Eli. Alakazam was hurled out onto the stage, with two spoons in his hands. His majestic moustache floated in the air, and Eli had already planned what he would do if it came down to using this Pokemon. Alakazam's psychic powers were extremely strong, and would be a useful tool in this pivotal battle. Eli made the first move to set the tone. "Houdini, use future sight!" yelped Eli. This attack would boost Eli's chances of winning if he could last long enough. Future sight would hit the enemy later in the battle, and it would hit them hard. Soon enough, Eli would be able to execute his full plan.

"That attack is a plain gimmick. Drilbur, use fissure again!" barked Colby. Another fissure opened up in the ground below Alakazam, but the majestic magician saw this attack coming.

"Houdini, use teleport, now!" exclaimed Eli. Alakazam disappeared in a flash, leaving the fissure attack useless this time around. Behind the foe Drilbur now, Alakazam was ready for his next command. "Houdini, use focus blast!" bellowed Eli. Alakazam pulled a brown orb out from the sky and raised it above his narrow head, before hurling it towards the Drilbur. To both Alakazam and Eli's surprise, Drilbur dodged the super-effective attack with skill, batting it down with his tightened claw. Now, Eli returned Alakazam to his Pokeball, which he had received in the trade. "Thanks Houdini. I'm sorry I had to take you out, but you did your part. Thank you very much for your help. Now, it's time to finish you off Colby! Buddy, I choose you!" howled Eli. The small serpent slithered out of his Ultra Ball and landed out on the ravaged field. Future sight took effect of Drilbur, who cringed and fell to the floor. This shot had weakened him, and the multiple powerful attacks had worn down his power supply. Now, Dratini could effectively finish this gym battle once and for all.

"You think this is finished just because Drilbur is worn down, eh?" interrogated Colby. "Well, you're dead wrong. And unfortunately for you, I will make an example out of you," warned Colby. "Drilbur, charge up a fissure to wipe this snake off the map," commanded Colby. However, Eli had the perfect counter for this.

"Buddy, now hit 'em with an aqua jet!" cried Eli. Since aqua jet would move first, Dratini would escape the threat of the fissure attack with ease, while crushing Drilbur. She cut towards the mole, leaving a trail of water in her path as she came into contact with Drilbur. The minute mole fell towards the ground and landed with a thud. This battle was over.

"Good job kid. You're better than I expected. If you look to continue on this journey of yours, you'll need this," guided Colby. He handed Eli a disk with SURF written in sharpie on the front of it. "That move teaches surf to your Pokemon, and it allows you to swim through the water. This allows you to get to the 5th badge easily. Good luck kid, and you better not lose," remarked Colby as Eli walked calmly out of the doors of the palace.

End of Chapter 38


	39. Chapter 39

Chapter 39: Onwards Towards Route 11!

Eli walked triumphantly down the bustling city street, relishing his victory over Colby to earn the third badge. As Eli walked down the street he thought about how the other members of the Cobalt Town Crew were doing. Isaac had not been seen since his loss in the Neon City Tournament, and he had looked very somber before his loss. Atlas, however, had been seen the most out of all the members. He had already earned his third badge. Sarah was the wild card of the group. Eli had not seen her since prior to the Elite 8 in the Neon City Tournament. All of Eli's thinking had leeched his time away, as he soon arrived at the Pokemon Center. The red-roofed building's door quickly swung its doors open, and Eli made his way inside.

After Eli dropped off his Pokemon with the always cheery Nurse Joy, he swiveled around and saw two familiar faces. Both Sarah and Atlas were sitting together at a table. Atlas had an energy drink in his hand while Sarah wielded a warm cup of coffee. Eli ventured over to see the duo, and check up on them

"Hey guys. What's up?" asked Eli. Sarah turned to Eli, and greeted him with a smile before firing back a response.

"Everything is going good, thanks Eli. I was just talking to Atlas about his third gym battle, since both of us now have the badge. Have you challenged Colby yet, Eli?" fired back Sarah.

"Just came back from the battle. It went really well. I managed to defeat his three steel type Pokemon without losing one of my own. Have you guys caught any new Pokemon?"

"Well," Atlas started, "I got a Hitmonchan from the businessman at the trade shop. So far, I really like it. It has access to a wide variety of moves and can hit with the best of 'em," finished Atlas.

"Really?" asked Eli shockingly. "You traded with that dude too? What did you give him?" interrogated Eli.

"Well, I gave him a Haunter," answered Atlas, who look as surprised as Eli was. There was definitely something suspicious about them gather Pokemon that were strong against psychic types. This was extremely fishy. Eli then noticed the absence of Isaac.

"Guys, has anyone see Isaac since the tournament, or heard from his for that matter?" posed Eli. The other just shook their head, as nobody had seen the strong figure since the end of the tournament. Eli frowned, before looking back up and proposing an action to the others. "Hey, since we're the Cobalt Town Crew and all, do you guys think we could travel route 11 together? I think it'd be kinda fun, and we could see each other's Pokemon while we're at it. Whaddya think guys?" asked Eli. Sarah and Atlas looked at each other before agreeing to Eli's offer of a group conquest. "Alright. We'll try to ship off at 7 AM tomorrow morning. That way we'll be able to see both regular and nocturnal Pokemon at the same time. I'll see you guys tomorrow morning," finished Eli. With the plan for tomorrow all laid out, Eli headed back to his room in the Pokemon Center, changed into his pajamas, and rolled into bed. Tomorrow, the group would be able to prove themselves to each other. It would definitely be fun.

Eli's alarm clock blurted out with rage as he slammed the OFF button with his hand. He rubbed his swollen eyes and swung out of bed. Wondering why he had woken up this early, Eli remembered that he, Atlas, and Sarah were going on a journey today. He quickly pulled on a clean shirt and shorts and went outside of his room. Sarah and Atlas were already out of their rooms, waiting on Eli to get ready. He quickly dashed up to Nurse Joy, commandeered his Pokemon, and walked out the doors with the rest of the Cobalt Town Crew.

While the trio walked down the dirt pathway of the route, all three of them had a Pokemon out next to them. Atlas was walking alongside his Beartic, Sarah had her Raichu at her side, while Eli's Arcanine paced a few feet ahead of the group, sniffing out strong Pokemon. Soon, Arcanine sat down. Eli noticed that the terrain had changed. Rapidly, the dirt road had opened up to a beach. Arcanine, being a fre type, didn't want to venture too far out into the water, so he stayed put. Eli thanked Arcanine for accompanying him so far, and sent out Dratini instead, who would be much more suited in the water area. Dratini smiled at Eli, before slithering along the coastline. Suddenly, a Pokemon ripped up the sand that had previously covered it, and Atlas took it on. This Pokemon that had popped out of the sand was a Krookodile. It was a ground-dark type mixture, which would prove useful in the journey. Atlas quickly weakened it using his Beartic's attacks, and swiftly caught it in an Ultra Ball. Eli was embarrassed, as the capture took a mere thirty seconds for Atlas. It would have taken more than 20 minutes for Eli to secure a Pokemon that strong. Eli figured that it must have been from the type advantage, so he dismissed it and kept going down the route. Next, Sarah cornered a wild Pokemon of her own. This one was a Politoed. Politoed looked like it should be a water-grass type, but it was just pure water. Sarah and Raichu quickly paralyzed their target, blasted it with a powerful thunderbolt, and secured it with a Pokeball. This made Eli even more worried about his own Pokemon's strength, as his two partners had easily captured Pokemon that would have given Eli lots of trouble. When the group was ready to get to the end of the route, Eli spotted a Pokemon that looked like the Loch Ness Monster. Excitedly, Eli used Dratini's surf attack to be towed across the surface of the water towards the Pokemon.

End of Chapter 39


	40. Chapter 40

Chapter 40: A Permanent Partnership

Water sloshed through Eli's face and ran up to his eyes as Dratini tugged him through the water. Eli, who wasn't a particularly good swimmer, feared the depths of the ocean like no other thing he had ever encountered before. The thought that mighty Pokemon such as Gyarados could be swimming underneath him, waiting to wipe him out at any time frightened him to no end. He just hoped that Dratini could make it to the long-necked Pokemon quickly, and that the fight would be over quickly. Now arriving at the long necked Pokemon, Eli pulled out his Pokedex, which was miraculously not drenched from his swim over. According to the PokeDex, this Pokemon he had encountered was Lapras. It was a combination of a water/ice types, so it was not only good against water types but was a great counter to dragon types that could stand in Eli's way. Lapras would be a good addition to Eli's team, so he would have to find a way to combat the beast in water. As an idea rushed to his head, Eli sent out Bulbasaur.

"Syntha, use leech seed down at the water, now!" cried Eli. The small dinosaur shot a seed from the bulb on his back. It fluttered down into the water, and sprang up a massive bush which barely scraped its way above the surface of the water. Now, Eli would have a platform to stand on while he conducted the battle. Eli climbed atop the platform and sent out his first Pokemon in the fight. "Buddy, let's go!" cried Eli. The Dratini slithered out of his Pokeball and into the choppy water. Eli would want to finish this Pokemon off quick. "Buddy, use dragon rage!" bellowed Eli. The small snake let loose a streak of blue fire, and it came into direct contact with the Lapras. Lapras wailed, before turning back to unleash an ice beam. Resourcefully, Dratini ducked under the water to avoid the super effective attack. Then, it sprang back up from the water and unleashed another dragon rage. This attack began to wear down Lapras to the point of no return. Before Eli reached into his moist bag to grab a Pokeball, Dratini was engulfed in a bright, white light. It's body expanded, but its head stayed the same for the most part. Dratini went from being roughly 6 feet long to being 13 feet long. It coiled in the water before leaping out of the dark, blue ocean majestically. Dratini had evolved into a Dragonair. "Nice job Buddy!" cheered Eli, who now had the opportunity to catch Lapras. "Go, Pokeball!" screamed Eli. He pulled out the red and white orb and threw it at a scary speed towards the Lapras. Lapras was absorbed into the red energy contained inside the Pokeball, and the buoyant ball floated over the choppy waves when it fell. The insides glowed once, then twice, and finally sealed Lapras inside the Pokeball. At least this time, Eli had elevated to the levels of his peers when catching a Pokemon. Eli cheered before heading back to the shore, and ultimately to Rhodium Town.

When Eli entered Rhodium town, he got the impression that it was a very quiet town. A one-horse town, so to speak. However, there was one place in the city that stuck out like a sore thumb. One large office building, easily more than 100 stories tall, towered over the rest of the quaint city. Printed in large letters on the middle of the building was ECLIPSE ENTERPRISES. Their logo was one that Eli recognized from the Neon City Tournament and from the trading shop where he handed over his Larvitar. Two crescent moons, one blue and one black, faced each other, with a shooting star at the middle. This logo shone brightly as the sunlight blasted the shooting star at this time of day. All three members of the Cobalt Town Crew, especially Atlas and Eli, took note of this symbol. The three decided to call it quits for the day and head back to the Pokemon Center. Eli snagged a room while Nurse Joy re-healed his Pokemon. While in the room, Eli thought deeply about the day's events. The other members of the crew, Sarah and Atlas, all had super strong Pokemon like Beartic and Raichu, while Eli was barely able to keep his Arcanine alive. If the three wanted to be the strongest trio in all of Perodia, Eli would have to get stronger. He refused to be the weak link. Eli finally made up his mind on his plans for tomorrow. He would forego the gym battle for a while, and go train on Aurum Mountain, which ran up against the border of the city. For now, Eli would have to wait the night away and face his challenges in the morning.

End of Chapter 40


	41. Chapter 41

Chapter 41: He'll Be Coming Around the Mountain!

The sun hurdled over the distant mountains as Eli arose, ready to conquer the day's challenges. As he swung from the confines of his covers on the bed, he rubbed his heavy eyes, removing all of the sleep from his eyes. He pushed out of his bed, pulled on a fresh set of clothes, and exited his dorm to go to the lobby of the lively Pokemon Center.

When Eli entered the Pokemon Center's lobby, it was very desolate and empty. The clock hanging over the door read that it was 6:22, so that would explain the lack of life in the Pokemon Center. Only Nurse Joy and a buisnessman were in the lobby, so Eli approached the Nurse's healing station to retrieve his Pokemon. Nurse Joy talked to him about the dangers of climbing the treacherous Aurum Mountains. Eli had already accepted these risks, and he knew that it would make both him and his Pokemon stronger and more cohesive as a unit. Eli thanked Nurse Joy for her time, and he walked out of the Pokemon Center, ready to face the challenges that inevitably lay ahead.

When Eli reached the city limits, he tightened his Pokemon World Tournament hat, strapped his backpack to his chest, and let out the first Pokemon that he wanted to train. "Go, Yippers!" cried Eli. The massive, furry dog came bounding out of his Pokeball, unleashing a confident and triumphant roar. Eli already knew how he was going to utilize Arcanine, and unleashing his full power was the first step to this plan. "Yippers, use flamethrower to melt a path in the rocks," commanded Eli. Arcanine barked in approval before unleashing a white hot column of fire out of his unhinged jaws. Arcanine successfully roared through the jagged rocks, creating a perfect pathway for Eli to walk on. Now, Eli had to work on the second part of Arcanine's training plan. "Now Yippers, I want to work on your double team attack. I know that it can improve vastly, and I know how I want to improve it. I want your clones to be able to fight alongside you, and mimic your actual attacks. To do this, you will have to focus all of your energy on making a carbon copy of yourself. Got it?" Arcanine nodded his head in agreement. "Alright, let's get to work," challenged Eli. On the first few attempts, Arcanine struggled to make one copy of himself. Even in the early stages, Arcanine's clones could be swept away with the swipe of a hand. But, after much coaxing from Eli, Arcanine was able to better focus his energy. Not 30 minutes later, Arcanine had completely mastered the technique. Perfect, solid clones could be created by using Arcanine's double team now. This skill would prove useful in the future. The one downside was that the attack drained a large amount of energy from the playful dog, so using this attack limited the vitality of Arcanine. Now, Eli would wait a while before training his next Pokemon. Until then, Arcanine walked alongside Eli faithfully.

Eli was ready to return Arcanine to his Pokeball when he heard voices up ahead. The voices seemed to be in a stern context, do Eli crouched behind a rock to hear their conversation.

"You think we'll find it up here, boss?" asked one of the lower tier people. The man who Eli identified as the boss whirled around and grabbed the grunt by the collar.

"We wouldn't be here if we didn't think we could find Dexoys. Now shut up and follow orders," snapped the boss, who let loose the grunt from his vice grip. Now, Eli realized that this was no more games.

End of chapter 41


	42. Chapter 42

Chapter 42: A Full Eclipse!

A rock jutted out to cover Eli's figure from the main boss, who wore a navy blue uniform with a orange 'E' embedded upon his chest. The boss also wore a black and white bandana, coupled with a sleek pair of black sunglasses, which rested on his bony nose. Eli was faced with a decision on what he could do now. He could jump out and risk the fight between the two grunts and the boss, or he could attempt to sneak around the squad and get to the summit of the mountain. Eli thought that if he managed to get around this group of Team Eclipse members, he would struggle to handle the tougher ones. If he battled these members, he could sniff out the strategies that the rest of Team Eclipse would try to utilize. Eli sprung out from behind the rock that he hid behind, and pointed at the trio of Team Eclipse members.

"Hey! Team Eclipse! You better get off this mountain you scumbags! I'll kick your sorry little asses all the way back down the mountain!" shouted Eli. His bold statement rang out across the mountains, as the mountains exploded with echoes of Eli's scream. The main boss of the group stepped forward and laughed at the boldness of Eli's challenge.

"Oh look. Another kid to mess with our plans. You do know what happened to the last kid, didn't you? He's one of us now, and we are using dark type powers to use him to our advantage. If you want to fight, then you'll certainly get one. Toby, John, use you best Pokemon. We're gonna wipe this kid off the mountain," threatened the boss. First, Eli sent out his Arcanine. Then Toby, one of the grunts, sent out an Umbreon. The other grunt in the squad sent out a Mandibuzz for the bout. The leader now sent out the most dangerous Pokemon he had faced yet. "Zoroark, let's go dude!" cried the boss. A large, humanoid figure came out of the Pokeball. It had a large, red mane with two skinny arms equipped with large claws. This would definitely prove to be a difficult opponent for Eli, as it could parry Arcanine's attacks easily.

"But, this isn't fair! Its three against one!" cried Eli. The boss simply chuckled, and Eli came to the realization that these were real criminals, and that they would not follow any rules in the process to world domination. Eli was going to have to fight by his own rules, because his inner self wanted to follow the rules. Now, it was time to wipe these guys out. "Yippers, try to mow them down with a flamethrower!" cried Eli. The massive dog unhinged a column of fire towards the line of three beasts. However, it seemed as if the boss already knew what was coming. His Zoroark used protect and brought his colleagues in close. The attack didn't even leave a scratch on any of the Pokemon. Together, all three of Eli's enemies were strong, but if could split them up then the battle would be over in no time. Now, Team Eclipse was ready to make their move.

"Zoroark, use foul play on Arcanine! Make sure it can't stand after this shot!" barked the boss. Zoroark bounded towards Arcanine and sprang into his attack. Zoroark's massive claws swung towards Arcanine, but the pup dodged the attack by taking a leap backwards. Next, Zoroark swung his feet towards Arcanine's furry paws, but the attack was to no avail. Again, Arcanine just jumped back. Eli was almost ready to return Arcanine when the pair's special training kicked in.

"Yippers, use double team just like we practiced, OK?" cried Eli. Arcanine roared, and four solid clones flanked the main Arcanine. Both the boss and Zoroark looked extremely confused and worried, as the total of five Arcanines growled and showed their fangs. When Zoroark tried retreating, three Arcanines bounded behind the humanoid figure. Two rushed towards the weaker colleagues of the Zoroark, while the other cornered Zoroark in a triangle. Team Eclipse was now cornered. "Now, I'm gonna let you off easy this time," uttered Eli. The boss let loose a sigh of relief, but that small joy was cut off by Eli. "However, I will only do this on one condition. That is that you tell me why you're here, and where your leader is. I can find him, and I will defeat him, but I need a sense of direction first. So, what'll it be?" questioned Eli. The boss gulped, looked at the situation he was presented with, and began to tell why Team Eclipse was here.

"Ok. I'll make that deal, just spare my Pokemon for one more battle. Firstly, Team Eclipse is here to capture the legendary Pokemon Dexoys. However, there are more benefits to catching Dexoys than what meets the eye. If we capture Dexoys, we can control the minds of other Pokemon and manipulate them to do our bidding. Dexoys would be the commander of a vast army, and his ability to change forms would make him inconquerable by any other single Pokemon. Any group strong enough to fight their way through all of the different Pokemon would then be crushed by Dexoys. He can outspeed, out attack, and out stall any single Pokemon. There are also business benefits to this. Our boss, Dexter Metus, in also the CEO of Eclipse Enterprises. By using Dexoys' mind control abilities, he can spike his sales while monopolizing the entire Perodia region. He can cut off any imported products by having Dexoys, who is familiar with space, reek havoc in the skies. Mr. Mestus is currently at the top of the mountain, hunting the ruins for Dexoys. That is all that I know. He keeps his information secret," whimpered the boss.

"How many more of you are there on Aurum Mountain?" posed Eli. If there were many, Eli would struggle.

"About sixty or so grunts and twenty commanders. Then, there are twenty special Mighteyana searching for Dexoys. Please, I don't know any more, spare me," pleaded the boss.

"Gimme your uniform," ordered Eli.

"Wh-what?" questioned the boss. The clones of Arcanine tightened their jaws as Umbreon and Mandibuzz whimpered. The boss promptly stripped down to his underwear and gave Eli his uniform. Eli went behind the rock and changed, putting his old clothes in his backpack. The uniform fit like a glove.

"Now, Arcanines, use flamethrower on these thieves," raged Eli. All three Pokemon collapsed under the white-hot heat of the attacks. After the onslaught ended, the clones dissolved and Arcanine was left standing over the prone body of Zoroark. Arcanine then advanced upon the three Team Eclipse members, and tied them up to a heavy rock on the mountainside, and dangled them over the chasm below them. "Now, if anyone tries to scream, it'll echo in the cavern and cause a small tremor, which should be just enough to throw you guys off the edge. See y'all," finished Eli, who then continued up the side of the mountain, ready to take on Team Eclipse.

End of Chapter 42


	43. Chapter 43

Chapter 43: Ruins of Perodia

After hiking for a while up the side of the rocky mountain, Eli heard another rumble of voices. However, these noises were much louder than the ones that he had heard before. Just by the sound, Eli could tell that there were more Team Eclipse members here than before. Climbing up behind a massive boulder, Eli peeked around the curve and was devastated by the number of enemies on Aurum Mountain. Dark types Pokemon walked alongside the grunts. Notable dark types such as Honchkrow, Zoroark, and Sableye roamed the metropolis that Team Eclipse had set up. More than 100 grunts patrolled the confines of the camp, and many were plotting and receiving orders from their higher rank officers. This situation made Eli very nervous, as it presented him with a choice. He could either try to play it cool and walk amongst the grunts in his newly acquired uniform, or he could attempt to sneak around. Judging by the workforce of grunts, there had to be many more guarding the perimeter of the camp. Eli opted to walk around inside the camp and try to gather information, and possible make a break for the summit of the mountain to free Dexoys from the impending trap that was about to spring into action. Eli casually walked out from around the boulder and marched into camp with a squad of about 10 other grunts.

When Eli entered the camp, the chaos and madness swirled around him. It was apparent that it would be difficult to keep his character the whole trip, but he would have to give it his best shot if he was going to be the hero in this situation. One area that Eli wanted to eavesdrop on was the science area. Many of the admins hung out around this area, and many figures in white lab coats worked furiously on a small orb sitting on the table. Eli shuffled over to the area and got a better look at what the scientists were working on. He quickly examined the orb that was sitting in the middle. It had a black backdrop with two purple stripes effacing the front of it. The letter 'E' was printed on the front of the orb in green, and the sight of it made Eli quaver in fear. What would this orb do? In order to find out more information, Eli picked up on a scientist who was communicating to an admin about what the orb would do. The duo began to walk away, so Eli followed in their wake, staying just close enough behind them to hear what they were saying.

"So scientist, give me an update on the Eclipse ball," rasped a familiar voice. Apparently, the new contraption was called the Eclipse Ball. How this Eclipse ball was special, Eli had yet to know.

"Well," squeaked the scientist, "it is done now. The Eclipse ball is a state-of the art Pokeball that has a 100% catch rate. It works like the infamous Master ball, but this one captures the psychic waves released by a powerful Pokemon and captures them to increase the powers of our mind control device. It is the best Pokeball known to man, and it will fit Dexoys like a glove," said the scientist. Now, Eli was really worried. If a Pokemon that powerful could be manipulated so easily by Team Eclipse, then Eli would have no shot at stopping them if they got going. Eli was so worried by this thought that he forgot to stop walking and ran into the lead admin in front of him. He knocked the leader over, before helping him up. The admin looked at Eli with a look of rage, and Eli immediately recognized the person he had knocked over. This person had been with Eli in the triumphs of his journey, but had gone missing since. Isaac, the boy with the Squirtle and one of the Cobalt Town Crew stood in front of Eli with a scowl on his face. Isaac then barked at who he thought was another admin on Team Eclipse.

"Hey, watch where your going, punk. You better have the grunts in line down there. We don't need any fools meddling our plans," spoke Isaac. Eli gulped and nodded his head vigorously, before leaving the camp and heading to the summit of Aurum Mountain.

Eli marveled at the landscape of the summit. The sun was sitting directly overhead, and it made the mountain shine like gold. Eli supposed that the mountain would look better if the temple in front of his had not already been decayed. An old temple was sitting in front of Eli, and it was directly atop the highest point on Aurum Mountain. What once as a beautiful temple was being slowly decayed by a sandstorm. White marble columns held the crippled roof over the temple, but it might not last long. The tops of the columns were pointed, and it looked as if they had been decayed quickly by the sandstorm. Eli saw the source of the sandstorm sitting at the entrance to the palace. A Tyranitar was using its ability to fling sandstorms all around the area, and they were mostly shooting inside the building. Eli would have to find out how to enter the building, and fast. He guessed that Dexoys was taking refuge here, and that they were using Tyranitar to smoke the legendary Pokemon out. Eli calmed himself and tried to act confident as he ducked his way inside the area.

The inside of the temple was not at all what Eli had imagined it would look like. It was in fact, a maze carved into the mountain. The walls were etched with the beautiful drawings of Pokemon, and each wall had a number. This would be a difficult place to navigate for Eli, so he would have to get working. Without the Team Eclipse uniform, Eli would have never made it through the first hallway. Grunts stood on either side of the hallway, and specially trained Bisharp also patrolled the hallways, intending to kill any visitors who did not have a Team Eclipse uniform on. Eli walked down the hallways of the maze, and tried to maneuver his way through the labyrinth the best he could. When he was navigating the maze, he found a dead body of a human, which immediately struck fear into his heart. He could easily get lost and never come out of this trap. He would just have to make sure that this didn't happen. To ensure his escape, Eli had brought along Alakazam, who knew Teleport. Alakazam could bail him out if got into any trouble, which reassured Eli. The monotonous maze tested Eli, as he had to quickly and quietly get to the exit, or the middle, depending on where Team Eclipse was trying to get. A clever plan came to Eli's mind. He would use Arcanine's double team clones to try all possible routes, and then teleport to the correct one when he found it. He sent Arcanine out of his Pokeball, and whispered the plan to the puppy. Arcanine rubbed his muzzle in Eli's hand in agreement, and proceeded to make 10 perfect clones. Eli then returned the real Arcanine back to his Pokeball and sent out Alakazam. Alakazam immediately understood the plan using telepathy, and walked ahead of Eli while the Arcanines spread out across the maze. Now, Eli would need to play the waiting game. He and Alakazam walked through the maze, but the mustached Pokemon stopped Eli and grabbed ahold of his backpack. The duo then teleported to where one of the Arcanines had successfully found the desired point in the maze. The place was an open room with a tomb in the middle. Inside the tomb, Eli could see a shiny rock that looked like it had fallen from space. Eli quickly ran towards the tomb, and marveled at the meteorite. Right as his hand extended, the door of the tomb closed and Eli was engulfed in darkness.

End of Chapter 43


	44. Chapter 44

Chapter 44: Meeting A Legend

Eli quavered as the light that had once filled the room was cut out by the darkness that now surrounded him. Now, Eli was nervous about what was going to happen. Was this a trap from Team Eclipse? Had they finally caught Eli, and would they turn Eli into what Isaac had already become? The silence and chaos that was running through Eli's head ceased when he saw a small, illuminate orb glowing at about his head level. It was about 4 feet away, and Eli naturally gravitated towards the light to keep his composure. However, he heard a voice. But this voice was not one that he heard through his ears, this was one he could hear in his head. The voice was a deep one, and it had a twinge of wisdom mixed in with the anger in the voice. _Are you the one that is trying to disrupt my habitat? Are you the fool who has dared destroy my home in the rash attempt at capturing me? If you are I pray for your mercy, _boomed the voice. Eli was not sure where this voice was coming from, but he knew that it sure as heck wasn't anyone on Team Eclipse. He responded back, meekly.

"I-I don't know who you are, but I am not here to harm you, sir. I am here to protect you. The people trying to harm you belong to an evil organization named Team Eclipse. They have an endless amount of money and power, so you may have to flee from your home. Again, I am not against you," reiterated Eli. The voice that Eli had heard in his head spoke again. _Although your story seems believable enough, I do need proof. Have you battled any trainers with your Pokemon that could recount your tale? Pokemon don't lie to someone like me, you know, _commanded the voice. Eli nodded, although the beast could probably not see him, since darkness still swirled around the room. "Yippers, come on out and tell this man our story!" cried Eli. His voice echoed in the small room, but the room was temporarily illuminated by the flash of light emitted from Arcanine coming out of his Pokeball. Arcanine surveyed the room and sniffed out his target. He then proceeded to bark out what resulted to be the story of hiking up Aurum Mountain, and fending off the Team Eclipse members. The voice in Eli's head responded again. _Very well. Your Pokemon has told the same story that you've told. Either you are one sly criminal, or you are telling the truth. I will assume that you have taken the latter route. It is time to reveal myself, _spoke the voice. Suddenly, light returned to the room as the door shot back open.

A grotesque figure was revealed by the harsh light. It had a hammerhead accompanied by an orange head and blue face, but its agile body had a purple meteorite glowing within it. Its arms were tentacles that had been twisted together, and the Pokemon looked like a brutal fighting machine. Eli immediately recognized this figure as Deoxys. The astounding thing about Deoxys was that it could change forms to benefit certain stats instantly. If it needed to finish off a weak Pokemon, it could slip into attack form and then quickly back into defense form if it needed to recover. Deoxys was truly a jack of all trades, and Eli could see why Team Eclipse wanted to capture it so badly. There was one question that was still troubling Eli. How did Deoxys talk to him, even when it couldn't speak? Eli posed this question to Deoxys, and it quickly spat out an answer. _You see, I can communicate with humans using telepathy. By utilizing my psychic powers, I can talk to humans and Pokemon alike without ever saying a word. Now, where did you say Team Eclipse was at again? _asked Deoxys. Eli quickly pointed towards the labyrinth, and Deoxys followed Eli out of the trap made by Deoxys and into one made by Team Eclipse.

The duo explored the labyrinth and searched for an alternative route out of the maze. Fortunatley, Deoxys knew these ruins as he had lived in them his entire life, and he hurriedly navigated Eli to the back exit of the ruins. Eli thanked Deoxys, and both of the friends walked out and were faced by the sunset of the day. Eli had gotten a lot of things accomplished today, but there was still going to be one major battle sitting on the horizon. Surrounding Eli and Deoxys was a heard of Team Eclipse members. Two of them stood prominently in the middle of the ring. Eli quickly recognized Isaac as one of the members, and the CEO of the company as the other. Isaac took the stage and began mocking Eli.

"Well, well, well. Look at the little boy who found Deoxys for us. Really Eli, we are grateful for all of the work you have done for us, but now you will have to perish as Deoxys is captured in our clutches," cackled Isaac. Eli scowled and unleashed his rage at his former friend.

"How could you Isaac! You were so good, and so talented! No one on the Cobalt Town Crew hted you, yet you still abandoned us and stooped this low! Honestly, I wanted to save you, but after seeing what you've done here I hope to wipe the side of the mountain with you!" screamed Eli. His words echoed off the sides of the mountain, but Isaac laughed them off easily.

"Eli, look at it from my point of view. We have you cornered. Hundreds of my troops surround you at any given moment, and there is no way for you to escape. However, if it's a fight you want, it's a fight you're gonna get," menaced Isaac. "Are you ready, Mr. Mestus?" asked Isaac. The CEO nodded, and Deoxys communicated with Eli to gameplan. _Bold move child. You don't have to fight if you don't want. I know they have strength in numbers, but I still have one extra trick up my sleeve. _Deoxys sensed Eli's readiness to fight, and the flames of rage engulfed Eli, who sent out the first Pokemon.

End of Chapter 44


	45. Chapter 45

Chapter 45: Setting on Team Eclipse

"Syntha, let's go!" erupted Eli, who's anger had boiled over at Team Eclipse. His choice of Bulbasaur made the rest of the hoard laugh. They would laugh now, but Eli knew that his Bulbasaur was one of the strongest members of his team and could surely take any Pokemon that Team Eclipse decided to use. Mr. Mestus then sent out his Pokemon.

"You think a Pokemon as weak as this one is going to save you?" taunted Mr. Mestus. "Then you're wrong, kid. I fear that we may have to take you captive when we get Deoxys to work for us. Shiftry, let's go!" summoned Mr. Mestus. A large, white Pokemon erupted out of its Pokeball. It had a white, furry body with two small wooden legs. Its arms extended out and then sprung leaves at the end. The angering eyes of Shiftry stared right at Deoxys. It was clear that Team Eclipse could care less about their bout with Eli. Their only intentions were to successfully capture Deoxys. Now, Isaac decided to send out his Pokemon.

"Eli, I would spare you, but you've gotten too far in the way now. The only reason we're here is because you accidentally knocked me over while you were dressed as a Team Eclipse member. Such a shame, isn't it? Now, Mighteyana, show him the consequences of messing with Team Eclipse!" shouted Isaac. A large dog made its way out of the Pokeball that Isaac threw. However, this dog didn't resemble Arcanine at all. Instead of being strong and husky like Arcanine, this black dog was thin and wiry. It looked like it would be slower than Arcanine, and certainly weaker as well. Now, the battle was ready to begin. Before anyone attacked, Deoxys began to glow with a white light. Hos body appeared to turn to liquid, and his body changed quickly. Suddenly, his body took on a sleeker form. His head became for aerodynamic, and his arms became thinner, but now there were two on each shoulder. This was Deoxys attack forme, and it was ready to knock Team Eclipse out of the battle. Team Eclipse now had to make a move to counter that.

"Shiftry, use Nasty Plot, now!" cried Mr. Mestus. Shiftry closed his eyes, and his face shuddered before he smirked an evil grin. Eli had seen this move used in the Pokemon World Tournament before, and he knew how powerful the move was. Nasty Plot was a non-damaging move that doubled the user's special attack. This meant that moves such as shadow ball and dark pulse, two moves that were super effective to Deoxys, would be super powerful now. Now, Isaac made his move.

"Mighteyana, use Psych Up on Shiftry, now!" cried Isaac. This move confused Eli to no end. Why would someone attack their own Pokemon? For clarification, Eli looked the move up on his PokeDex. Apparently, Psych Up copied the stat changes of a Pokemon. This meant that Mighteyana now had a doubled special attack stat as well. Now, both of Team Eclipse's Pokemon had massive special attack stats capable of leveling any Pokemon that Eli sent out. They could now shrug off any non-boosted attack that Eli gave them and return one more than 4x as powerful to Deoxys. In order to hold up Shiftry and Mighteyana, Eli had to boost the power of his Bulbasaur's attacks.

"Syntha, use Growth now!" commanded Eli. The bulb on Bulbasaur's back pulsated with energy and began to glow softly. Now, both Bulbasaur's attack and special attack stats were boosted, so he would have a chance at stopping Team Eclipse. Before Eli could figure out where he wanted to move next, Mr. Mestus made the next move.

"So, Deoxys, you are going to try to beat us on the offensive? Just as I had predicted. Too bad your strength will be used against you. Shiftry, use Foul Play on Deoxys!" cried Mr. Mestus. Shiftry dashed towards Deoxys and leapt into the air. It raised its arms over its head in preparation for bashing Deoxys into submission. However, Deoxys already knew how to counter this move. His body liquefied again, and he turned into his speed forme. Now, he zipped away from the attack and was ready for the next move. Isaac shuddered, and then made his attack.

"Mighteyana, use Dark Pulse on that Bulbasaur!" cried Isaac. Mighteyana unhinged his jaws and blasted a dark sphere towards Bulbasaur. However, Bulbasaur jumped out of the way of the blast and charged his own attack. This attack was Energy Ball, and it was now boosted by the Growth. It was fired back at Mighteyana. The attack made a huge impact on Mighteyana, and it may not live through another attack from either Deoxys or Bulbasaur. However, Mighteyana could now make a lasting impact on Deoxys for the rest of the battle. "Mighteyana, use Scary Face, now!" commanded Isaac. Mighteyana used Scary Face on Deoxys, nullifying its speed advantage. Now, Deoxys was forced to change his form. His once sleek body transformed into a bulky body that had a mass of bulk. Now, Deoxys fired back a Focus Blast at Mighteyana in revenge for the change of form. This time, there was no hope for Mighteyana to hold on after the attack. Mighteyana was now down for the count, and there was no turning back for Isaac. Now, it was a 2 on 1 battle, with Shiftry being the only one to fight for Team Eclipse. However, the tides could still turn quickly if Eli was not persistent with his actions.

"Shiftry, use Shadow Ball on Deoxys to finish this battle!" barked Mr. Mestus. Shiftry launched a ball of pure hate at Deoxys, and due to Deoxys being in defense forme, he could not get out of the way in time. Bulbasaur decided to make a rash decision that could easily cost him his life. He jumped in front of the piercing attack and took the full blow to save Deoxys. A cloud of smoke covered the battlefield as Eli sat nervously, awaiting the results.

End of Chapter 45


	46. Chapter 46

Chapter 46: Defiance in Deoxys!

Smoke still hazed the battlefield and clouded the vision of all the members on the field. Deoxys had darted out of the smoke the first, and Eli could hear Mr. Mestus praising his Shiftry and cackling on the other side of the cloud. Tears rushed to Eli's eyes as he realized that he might have just lost his first friend on his Pokemon journey. All of the good times they had been through could draw to a close any second if Bulbasaur was forced to give up the fight of pain that he was in. The Team Eclipse grunts that lined the battlefield all mocked Eli as his Bulbasaur still had not come from outside the shield of smoke. One thing that Eli kept in mind was that even if Bulbasaur were lost, his journey would not be over. The fight right now was certainly not over, and Eli would have to sustain himself until either side could pull out the victory. Eli wiped the tears off of his face and looked up, only to see a silhouette of a small, dinosaur looking figure emerging from the curtain of smoke. Eli quickly pulled out Bulbasaur's Pokeball, and returned him to his home for safekeeping. Now that that disturbance was out of the way, it was time to continue the battle.

"Alright, Deoxys, are you ready to continue?" asked Eli. He sensed that Deoxys was ready to finish the fight, so he sent out his next Pokemon. "Drake, let's go now!" shouted Eli. The newly caught Lapras burst out of his Pokeball and let out its majestic cry towards the battlefield. While this usually intimidated opponents, Mr. Mestus was obviously not amused by Eli's Pokemon. He swiftly ordered his Shiftry to clear the smoke away from the battlefield using its massive leaves on its hands, before letting loose another cackle at the aquatic Pokemon.

"You dare use that against my Shiftry? You are just begging to lose another Pokemon child. I suggest you return your Pokemon to its Pokeball before anything goes poorly for you," taunted Mr. Mestus. Eli grimaced, as he knew the consequences of leaving Lapras in against Shiftry. Shiftry held the type advantage, but Colby had taught Eli to ignore those disadvantages. Eli needed to have confidence in his Pokemon and finish this battle. Now, it was Shiftry's turn. "Shiftry, use Focus Blast on the Lapras that the boy has. Make sure it doesn't walk this one off," commanded Mr. Mestus. Shiftry reached towards the sky and pulled a brown orb out of thin air. It hurled it towards Lapras with a strong throw and waited for Eli's next move.

"Drake, use Ice Beam to shoot this one out of the sky!" barked Eli. Lapras opened up his mouth and unleashed a skinny beam of ice towards the ball of energy. When the two collided, it appeared as if Lapras' counter had been perfectly suited for this. It resisted the ball of power and began to push is back, inch by inch and foot by foot. But, Eli could see that Lapras could not keep this up for much longer. He ignored it, hoping that Lapras could hang in there long enough to stop the onslaught. Suddenly, another Focus Blast came whizzing by Eli's head, and when Eli turned around, he saw that Deoxys had launched an attack of his own towards Shiftry. Deoxys could also observe that Lapras was struggling to hold off the attack, and that he would have to neutralize Shiftry to save Lapras. As the Focus Blast hurtled through the air, Lapras lost his concentration. As soon as he did, Shiftry's Focus Blast broke through the shield of ice and made direct contact with Lapras. Eli's cries were coupled with the shriek of Shiftry, who had been nailed by Deoxys' Focus Blast. Eli ran over to his Lapras, as he could see that Shiftry was dead for now. Lapras was lying motionlessly on his stomach, shell sticking up towards the darkening sky. Eli dashed over to Lapras' head, and talked to it soothingly. "Drake, please pull through buddy. Come on pal, you can do it. Just fight off the pain for another hour while we get you back down to the Pokemon Center. Please-" whimpered Eli. His words were cut off by tears in his eyes and a lump rushing to his throat. He knew that it was too late for Lapras. "Drake, thanks for all of your help on the adventure. I'm really gonna miss you, you know you big lug?" choked Eli. He bent over, kissed Lapras on the horn, and waited for it to slowly slip out of consciousness for the final time. In its last moments, Lapras extended its neck and put its head in Eli lap before all of the life quickly was sucked out of it. This time, Eli could not hold back his tears. The floodgates opened as tears poured down his face, and this drew laughter from the Team Eclipse grunts. Then, Deoxys spoke to him. _Don't risk another Pokemon, child. I apologize for the death of your Lapras, but you have to let me handle the rest of this battle, _spoke Deoxys. Eli nodded solemnly, as he directed all of his care towards Lapras one last time. However, his tranquility was interrupted by Mr. Mestus.

"Well, well, well. It seems that you two were stronger than we thought. However, we will still be able to detain you with this device right here. The Eclipse Ball," bragged Mr. Mestus. He held up the modified Pokeball in his hand and threw it at Deoxys. However, Deoxys had a new world of hurt coming for them. He used his psychic powers to stop the Eclipse Ball and crush it in midair. He then unleashed an attack that Eli didn't even know existed. Deoxys curled up into a ball as a purple aurora swirled around him. When the aurora fully surrounded his body, he unleashed all of the energy that had built up in his body during the fight in a move Eli called Cosmo Blast. The powerful energy pulsated and launched all of the Team Eclipse members off of the mountain. All of their Pokemon had been wiped out by this move. The attack was truly a marvelous site: shockwaves of purple launched in a perfect circle from the origin of the attack and they destroyed everything in site. Eli hung onto Lapras' dead body and was able to weather the attack. Finally, the onslaught ended and Eli looked at the area around him. All of the Team Eclipse members had been thrown off of the mountain, and pretty much everything else had been leveled. All of the boulders had turned to dust, but Eli had miraculously survived. He then looked at Deoxys, but realized that it too was lying on the ground. Eli dashed over to the legendary Pokemon and beckoned it to speak. It finally spoke, after a long session of coaxing by Eli. _The attack, it makes me weak. I will need help getting through the night. Can you help me? _asked Deoxys. Eli of course agreed, and began planning for the night ahead.

END OF CHAPTER 46


	47. Chapter 47

Chapter 47: Feeling Like Bear Grylls

A large list of priorties were flying thtorigh Eli's head as he decied how to survive the night while nursing Deoxys. The first thing he needed to do in quickly get to the top of the mountain where he could set up shop. Carrying Deoxys would be no easy task, so he called out his Alakazam to help him. "Houdini, can you Teleport us to the top of the mountain?" asked Eli. Alakazam nodded his head and wrapped his majestic mustache around the group. In a flash, the group was warped back to the top of the mountain. Now that they were here, Eli needed to get a shelter set up, along with a fire. For these tasks, he kept Alakazam out and released Arcanine and Bulbasaur from their Pokeballs. "OK guys, we need to take care of Deoxys tonight. I don't want to draw the attention of Team Eclipse, so we need to stay up here. First thing's first, we need Syntha and Houdini to build three walls out of the wrecked rock here. Got it guys?" asked Eli. Bulbasaur delightedly cheered in approval, while Alakazam nodded with wisdom. The two went off to where they could find the boulders, leaving Eli with Arcanine. "Alright Yippers, we need to get a fire going so we can cook some food. There is some wood over there on that tree that can be stripped, so can you go get that and get a fire going?" inquired Eli. Arcanine nodded and rubbed his muzzle in Eli's opened hand before dashing off towards the tree. However, Dratini and Golbat were still not being used. Eli would need their help later in the night, but he still had no idea of it yet. "Screech and Buddy, come on out!' shouted Eli. The small snake and the horrendous bat came rushing out of their Pokeballs and reported to Eli's side. "OK guys, I need you guys to patrol the area and make sure that Team Eclipse doesn't come back. Are you guys OK with that?" questioned Eli. The two responded by darting off towards the confines of camp, ready to look for any incoming intruders. While Eli had a moment alone, he took a look at the ruins that had been ravaged by Team Eclipse. The once beautiful marble columns were worn and pointed at the top, and the majestic artwork of other legendary Pokemon had been faded from the front of the building. Eli frowned, as he knew that Deoxys would not have wanted it this way. If Deoxys made it through the night, he would certainly repair this place fast.

The group of Pokemon quickly returned when Eli called their names. Arcanine was the first one back. He was carrying a bundle of twigs and small branches in his jaws, and he hurriedly made a small pile of them before torching them by breathing his fire. Now, the group at least had a small fire to keep them warm and illuminate the side of the mountain. This light would be important, because now the group could see what they were doing. Now, the more difficult part was about to begin the group would have to build a small shelter around Deoxys. The two material gatherers, Bulbasaur and Alakazam, came back with a lot of rocks. Bulbasaur was struggling to pull three with his vines, while Alakazam held enough to finish the project above his head with his psychic powers. The duo set the rocks down and got to work building the house. Thicker and heavier rocks were put at the bottom, so the team would not have to lift them to put the other rocks on top. It started with a small, simple foundation around Deoxys. However, their collaborative teamwork made sure that the project got finished fast. Hastily, walls were quickly erected around Deoxys, and they made a perfect shelter for the night. Finally, the group needed something to block any potential rain from entering their well-constructed shelter, so Bulbasaur let loose a flurry of vines to patch the roof. Now, the night's shelter was all ready to go. First, the Pokemon crawled in the shelter. The shelter stayed up surprisingly well, so Eli crammed into the small place that they would call home for the night. He was ready for bed after a long day of action, but he was interrupted by the loud sound of his gargling stomach. He laughed before reaching into his backpack and pulling out some soup and PokeFood. He distributed the PokeFood to all six Pokemon sitting in the tent before cooking the soup over the fire. He scarfed the treat down before curling up next to Bulbasaur, who had already passed out. Additionally, Eli's head rested on Arcanine's warm, furry body. He quickly drifted off to sleep, charging his batteries for the day's events to come.

END OF CHAPTER47


	48. Chapter 48

Chapter 48: Parting Advice

Sun ripped through the vines that covered the fort Eli was staying in. Eli swung his head up before remembering where he was. A small fire still danced in front of him, but Eli could tell that the fire was way past its prime. Eli was glad the whole team had survived, but something still seemed off. Suddenly, the fact of who was missing hit Eli like a high speed train. Deoxys was gone from his resting spot. Hastily, Eli dashed out of his resting spot next to Arcanine and flew out of the door. Eli's head was still spinning from the fatigue that still plagued him from the day before. Finally, he came up on Deoxys. His heart rate descended rapidly, and he trotted over to Deoxys to see how he was doing. "Hey Deoxys. Are you feeling better this morning?" asked Eli. Deoxys turned his hammerhead and looked deep into the eyes of Eli. He then responded in a voice that was so wise, it could only come with the monumental age of Deoxys. _Yes child, I did sleep well. I am surprised that you are up this early. I would not expect a child like you to be up at sunrise after the exciting day yesterday. Are you feeling any better about Lapras' death? _beckoned Deoxys. Eli hung his head, remembering his Lapras. However, he had to stay strong in his bout. Showing other people his weakness was a sign that they were better than him. "No Deoxys, I still haven't forgotten my friend," whimpered Eli. Eli could hear Deoxys sigh, and he felt a lecture coming on. Deoxys' wiry arm patted Eli on the head as the Pokemon began to speak again. _This sounds like a hard task coming from my point of view, but you need to forget child. Let the past losses of friends go. Their memories will plague you on the rest of your long journey if you continue to be influenced by past friends, _chided Deoxys. This made Eli very angry, as tears were close to spewing out of his eyes. "How can you say that Deoxys? I worked so hard to get him, and after all this I am just supposed to forget? You have no business saying that," raged Eli This clearly aggravated Deoxys. However, the legendary Pokemon had no intentions of taking any of his words back. _Child, I have lived for more than 1,000 years. I have seen countless Pokemon come and go, along with trainers who have given their lives to protect each other. Those trainers ended up doing poorly, whether it be on the battlefield or in society. Letting go of past losses removes the shades of anger from your eyes. Trust me. Thank you for nursing me child, but I must be on my way, _finished Deoxys. The nimble Pokemon then turned back into speed forme before darting off into the distance. Now that Deoxys was gone, Eli got a chance to look over the city he would be going to next. Although he had already been there, Rhodium Town was a place Eli would like to live if the office building had not been there. All of the houses were very small and simplistic, and all of the people lived with their Pokemon in harmony. Someday, when Eli's journey was over, he may settle down here with whatever Pokemon he has left. The sun flashed across the town, as some people were already out and about on the morning. From the mountain view, Eli could hardly see the people walking, mostly because of his elevation and the glint of the sun bouncing off the side of the mountain. Eli figured that he had enough of the view for one morning, as he turned around and walked back to the campsite.

When Eli returned to the campsite, none of his companions were awake yet. Dragonair was still coiled up next to Bulbasaur, who was slumped down next to Arcanine. Golbat was still the odd one out, and he was hanging upside down on the vines. Houdini was rolled into a ball, and he slept away from the others. Eli figured that the best way to wake them up was to cook some breakfast, so he pulled the glass jar that his Pokemon Egg came in out of his backpack and lumped some frozen biscuits in the jar. He then set the jar over the fire before pulling out the honey that he and Bulbasaur had found in the Combee hive. Five minutes later, Arcanine, who had the best nose of them all, awoke to the smell of food. When he got up, the rest of the group was stirred, so they followed suit. Eventually, all of the Pokemon were sitting around the fire, waiting for the food to be ready. When the biscuits became golden-brown, Eli carefully pulled the jar out and distributed them among his Pokemon. He lathered them with honey, and the breakfast was devoured within minutes. He decided that now was a good time to wrap up his stay on Aurum Mountain, so he and his Pokemon cleaned up the mess that they had made. Finally, there was one last deed to do.

"Deoxys, I know that you are probably waiting for me to do this, and I am following your advice. We have dug a hole just big enough for a Pokeball. Today, we leave Lapras behind, where he will be better off. We all will miss you Lapras, but I know that this is better for the both of us. Thanks," replied Eli. This time, he was confident in his movements. He placed the Pokeball inside the hole and quickly covered it with dirt. Eli then returned the rest of his Pokemon to their Pokeballs, and walked out of the house that his Pokemon had built. Before leaving, he let out Bulbasaur and the duo walked down the mountain together, finally arriving on Rhodium Town.

End of Chapter 48


	49. Chapter 49

Chapter 49: Poison Ivy

Eli's legs ached as he and Bulbasaur finally arrived in Rhodium Town. The quiet city felt warm and cozy, and he wished that he could stay in the peaceful town longer. Both Eli and Bulbasaur then went to the Pokemon Center to reheal and grab some more food, as the hike down the mountain had worn them down. Eli approached the cheery, red-roofed building and activated the sliding glass door, gaining entrance to the inside. When Eli entered the building, he saw three familiar faces. However, he ignored his colleagues for a brief moment while he checked his Pokemon in to Nurse Joy's healing station. After dropping them off there, he walked over to the table that his colleagues sat at and seated himself in the fourth chair. To his left, Atlas sat comfortably and confidently in his seat. He thrived in this environment one where he could relax and just talk Pokemon. To his right, Sarah sat in her chair, but she was extremely uptight unlike Atlas. Finally, Professor Oak, the main man himself, sat across from Eli with a smile on his face. Professor Oak was in his usual white lab coat and had a cup of hot coffee in front of him. He constantly fielded and fired back questions with the other two, but when Eli came to the table, the conversation stopped.

"Hello Eli. How are you doing?" asked Professor Oak. Eli positioned himself in his chair, delaying his response. He was deliberating which side of the story to tell them. If he talked about how he helped destroy Team Eclipse, he would come off as arrogant to the Professor. However, if he told how he lost his Pokemon in a match, he would look weak in the eyes of the Professor. He opted to not tell a story, but the truth, whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

"Well, I guess I am feeling stronger," shrugged Eli. He then looked back in the eyes of Professor Oak. "I went for a training session on Mount Aurum, and I found Team Eclipse up there. If you don't know, Team Eclipse is a secret organization run under the Eclipse Enterprises name. They are after Pokemon with massive power, and they were going after Deoxys. I was unfortunate enough to run into them, and I defeated their first line of defense easily. I then made them turn in their uniforms, so that I could go incognito into their base camp. I then learned that they were trying to capture Deoxys and use him for mind control, so I panicked. I was ready to rush to the top of the mountain when I accidentally bumped into one of the leaders of the group. I immediately recognized his face, and you guys would not believe who it was," confessed Eli. All three of Eli's colleagues eyes' widened, as Eli continued with his story. "Isaac, the boy with the Squirtle, was an admin on Team Eclipse," muttered Eli. This drew gasps from the others, but Eli still continued on with his story. "Then, I went to warn Deoxys, and he thought I was a member of Team Eclipse. I said otherwise, so we fought Team Eclipse together. I lost Drake, my Lapras, to Mr. Mestus, CEO of Eclipse Enterprises. Then Deoxys destroyed Mr. Mestus' Shiftry and used a move called Cosmo Blast. It threw all the Team Eclipse members off the mountain, but I think they were teleported away to somewhere else. Either way, the attack hurt Deoxys so I nursed him in a shelter my Pokemon and I built before going to sleep. Deoxys and I talked this morning before he dashed away, so I came back down the mountain this morning," finished Eli. The table was silent for a long time. The only sound that Eli could hear was the eerie ticking of the clock mounted on the wall. Finally, Atlas broke the silence.

"It sucks that Isaac is gone, but we can't let that effect us. We have to move on," said Atlas. To move on. What clever choice of words. It looks like Deoxys was right after all. "Alright, have you challenged Ivy, the gym leader in this town yet, Eli?" asked Atlas. Eli shook his head. Was Ivy the grass type gym leader in this town? "Alright Eli, Ivy is the 5th Gym Leader in the Perodia region. She specializes in poison types. She uses two Pokemon, but don't let that fool you. She has a Toxicroak and a Gengar, both of them specialized to take you out quick. I know what Pokemon you have, so I would recommend using Dragonair, Bulbasaur, or Alakazam in this gym. All of them can take down Gengar and Toxicroak without too many problems. However, I would be really careful if it ends up in a Gengar-Alakazam matchup because Gengar hits hard with Shadow Ball. That's really all that I can remember from my battle," analyzed Atlas. Eli thanked Atlas for the help and retrieved his Pokemon from Nurse Joy. He then walked out of the door, and followed a map of Rhodium Town to the gym. He was looking for a large building like the rest of the gyms, but the map led him to a small building that resembled a small house. A faded sign reading 'GYM' hung from the house, so Eli knocked on the wooden door. Eli listened for a response, but he didn't get one. When he decided to open the door, he was greeted by an old lady with a pair of glasses on. She smiled at Eli, before bringing him to the kitchen to offer him some coffee. Eli politely declined, before asking about a gym battle.

"So ma'am-" began Eli, before the nice old lady cut him off.

"Please, call me Ivy, child. I know you are anxious about your gym battle, as I assume you are a challenger. Let's make our way to the field," replied Ivy. She grabbed her cane and hobbled to her backyard, that opened up in a field. High grass spotted the field, but there were also some spots where short grass still lingered. Eli climbed up one of the rusty platforms so that he could get a better view, while Ivy slowly but surely made her way up the other. Then, Ivy yelled in a surprisingly youthful voice. "You better be ready kid, because I know I am! Toxicroak, let's go!"

END OF CHAPTER 49


	50. Chapter 50

Chapter 50: On To The Next One

Ivy's Toxicroak commanded the field with a massive presence, and its bubbles on its cheeks swelled in and out with every breath. Eli needed to come up with a counter for this Pokemon. He figured that it would try to status whoever he brought out, so it would be useless to send out any Pokemon but Dragonair and Bulbasaur, who were either immune to poison or could use their ability to escape the hazard that easily plagued so many powerful Pokemon. However, Eli had no idea if Ivy's Toxicroak had the ability Dry Skin, which would absorb all water attacks that Dragonair could throw at it. This decision was tough for Eli, before he remembered his training that he had done with Bulbasaur on Aurum Mountain. Now, he could confidently choose his Bulbasaur to combat Ivy's intimidating Toxicroak.

"Syntha, I choose you!" cried Eli. The small but ferocious green dinosaur sprang out of his Pokeball and landed on the grassy field. In this element, Syntha could set up for his other allies quickly and fluently, allowing Eli to have lots of flexibility on where he could move next. Trees speckled the edges of the battlefield, and if the battle got rough and one of his Pokemon were trapped, Eli would have no objections to letting his Pokemon flee to the forest to recuperate and calm their demeanor. Now, the battle was ready to begin. Eli claimed the first move as his. "Syntha, use Leech Seed to build a wall around yourself! Make a full column to cover yourself from all sides!" shouted Eli. Multiple seeds shot out of the bulb on Bulbasaur's back and floated in the air before landing in a circle around Bulbasaur. The vines swiftly expanded, blocking both Toxicroak's view and Eli's view from the small green dinosaur. This had prevented Ivy from trying any gimmick to take Eli down. Bulbasaur's secondary poison typing came in handy, as he could then be immune to poison and take any fighting type attack dished out by the poison frog. Ivy considered switching out to her second Pokemon, Gengar, but she wanted to have her ace ready for when the time came. With that in mind, she made her move.

"Toxicroak, use Bulk Up, now," commanded Ivy. Eli could tell that he frail body was not fit for battling anymore, and he began to feel sorry for the old lady. She must have been the gym leader for many years, and Eli could only imagine how many battles she had fought through. The more Eli thought about it, the more he realized why she would be the gym leader in this town. Both were quiet, old areas that were already far past their prime. Eli hoped that his late grandmother, who he never met, had been somewhat like this. However, he then remembered that is he were to win that he would have to show no mercy to his opponents. He had to kill the puppy. Eli realized that Ivy was ready for a fight when the move that Toxicroak used, Bulk Up, came into full effect. His Attack and Defense were now boosted, and that gave him the power to abolish whatever wall that Bulbasaur put in front of him. Now was the time for a switch.

"Syntha, you did a great job. Come on back," spoke Eli. This move drew a weird reaction from Ivy. Switching this early in the battle was uncommon, and someone who had made it as far as Eli had usually avoided doing this, because it showed the opponent his hand. "Houdini, come on out!" shouted Eli. The mustached figure was shaded from view, as he had immediately gone into the shroud that Bulbasaur had created using Leech Seed. Eli had already communicated with Alakazam, by having Alakazam talk with him during the battle. While he had been letting Toxicroak boost its stats using Bulk Up, it was whispering the plan to Alakazam, who had responded using his telekinetic powers. Eli had a masterful plan coming together, which could easily explode in his face. On the other hand, his plan could be executed with perfection and he could mop the floor with this old lady. This situation could either result in Alakazam only having to utilize one move, or Toxicroak could cripple Alakazam for the rest of the fight, making it rely on getting a high capacity of attacks off and wearing itself down. If that happened, Toxicroak, despite its typing disadvantage, could topple the favored Alakazam. The only way to know for sure was to wait the fight out and see what happened.

"That is an interesting move to make, my boy. Sending out a Pokemon who is weak to the toxins I can give it, as opposed to leaving in one immune to them is usually not what I see from challengers. Prove to me that you've made the right choice. Toxicroak, show this rookie what we've got by using Poison Jab! Break through that column!" howled Ivy. Toxicroak dashed towards the column of ivy like a skilled ninja and swung his poison-charged fist through the air, flattening what was once the barrier. Eli didn't even break a sweat, as Alakazam had gotten his message. When the barrier had been smashed into a million pieces, Alakazam was nowhere to be found. This made Ivy gasp, and Toxicroak now wore a confused expression on his face. However, Alakazam was standing no more than 10 yards behind Toxicroak.

"This is what I was doing, Ivy. Maybe I wasn't so stupid after all. Houdini, use Psychic on Toxicroak, and finish that poison frog!" barked Eli. Alakazam's spoons bent as his psychic powers skyrocketed. All of a sudden, Toxicroak winced as he was compressed under an excruciating amount of pain. Showing mercy, Alakazam let Toxicroak down from its psychic shackles when it had finally succumbed to the pain. "Now Ivy, let's see what you have next," taunted Eli. The old lady grimaced as she returned her Toxicroak to its Pokeball, as she knew that as much as she hated Eli saying that, he was right.

End of Chapter 50


	51. Chapter 51

Chapter 51: Going On To Gengar

Ivy grimaced as her first Pokemon, Toxicroak, had just fallen at the hands of Eli's Alakazam. Alakazam could wipe the floor with most poison types, her Gengar may have a chance at redemption. She returned Toxicroak's lifeless body to her Pokeball, and looked into Eli's eyes. She glared, before she reached and grabbed Gengar's Pokeball. "Kid, you may have smashed Toxicroak with your Alakazam, you won't be able to topple this Pokemon quite as easily. Your gimmicky methods will be better suited back at the first gym, and no such methods will work here. Gengar, show this kid the true power of poison type Pokemon!' shouted Ivy. The ghostly Pokemon sprang from its Pokeball and landed out onto the field. The grassy and organic field was almost touching Gengar's feet, but it wasn't quite there. Gengar's ability, Levitate, allowed it to not be hit by ground type attacks such as Earthquake. Gengar was a nasty killing machine that Eli had seen on the Pokemon World Tournament. It was fast and lean, capable of running a whole team out of the gym using its powerful special attacks. Eli feared Gengar, as it could easily destroy his Alakazam with one Shadow Ball. Eli then countered by returning Alakazam to its Pokeball, and leaving the grassy field open.

"Ivy, I'm sure that this seems like another gimmick to you, but I assure you that this move will be better. My Alakazam has done its job here, and I don't want to risk it any further. Buddy, come on out to battle!" shouted Eli. The large serpent erupted from its Pokeball and landed out on the field. Its regal horn stuck out in the air, and it was large and bulky enough to counter any moves that Gengar could make. Eli just needed to avoid any super-effective attacks that Gengar could hurl at it, and he could waltz his way to the finish. Ivy looked pleased with this move, as she could tell that Eli had a fond attachment with this Pokemon. Ivy could easily manipulate this care for Eli's Pokemon by using a special move. Now, it was her turn.

"Gengar, you know your own power. Use Icy Wind on this Dragonair, and display your true power!" yelled Ivy. Ivy had a cheer of youthfulness in her voice, and it seemed to rejuvenate her Pokemon. Gengar opened his ominous mouth and blew out a flurry of ice towards Dragonair. This was what Eli had feared, as Icy Wind would be a force to be reckoned with due to the massive special attack stat of Gengar, and the fact that the attack would be super-effective. Fortunately, Dragonair did a barrel roll through the grass and dodged the vicious attack by a small margin. Eli breathed a sigh of relief, as his Dragonair was still safe for now. If Eli wanted to keep Dragonair from suffering the full wrath of Gengar's attack, he would have to cripple it first.

"Buddy, use Thunder Wave on Gengar to keep the behemoth down!" shouted Eli. Dragonair's horn became charged with a jolt of electricity, and he zapped the once speedy Gengar and crippled it with the jolt of electricity. Ivy's Gengar now was slowed by the paralysis effect, and Eli now held the advantage over Ivy in the battle. Gengar would now have to fight through the extra effects in order to topple over Dragonair. Even then, four more powerful Pokemon awaited Gengar. The odds were definitely in Eli's favor, as he could continue to preserve his Pokemon while keeping Gengar guessing throughout the battle. However, Eli wanted to test the strength of his newest Pokemon. Ivy now made the next move.

"Gengar, trap this slithering serpent using Mean Look!" shouted Ivy. Gengar looked at Dragonair and shot him a nasty look, preventing him from escaping the battle. Ivy had a masterful plan that would pull at Eli's heart, and the plan would make him choose which path he would take: victory or the preservation of Pokemon. Eli grimaced, as using Mean Look meant that Ivy liked the matchup she had been given, despite Gengar being crippled with the paralysis Dragonair had dished out earlier. Eli had no idea how to counter this move and his moveset on Dragonair didn't allow him to do a lot to Gengar. Now, he was trapped in a bad situation with nowhere to hide. He then tried to attack.

"Buddy, use Aqua Jet, now!" cried Eli. Dragonair slithered towards Gengar, but the ghostly beast hopped out of the way before Dragonair could defeat the elusive beast. Eli winced, as he was struggling to even afflict damage to Gengar. If the battle kept up like this, Eli may be done for as far as Dragonair was concerned.

"Now, Gengar, you've successfully done your job. However, show this youngster that he has a whole world of hurt coming for him. Use Perish Song, now," commanded Gengar. An ominous tune came from the creepy mouth of Gengar, leaving lasting effects on all of the Pokemon in the field. Eli had seen this move utilized before, and he was right to feel the effects of it deeply. Perish Song made all Pokemon faint in 3 turns if they remained on the field. Since Dragonair was trapped by Mean Look, he would bite the dust if he couldn't defeat Gengar before his time on the battlefield reached zero. Eli grimaced, as both Pokemon's Perish Counts fell to 3. Eli now had to make a move on Gengar, and fast.

"Buddy, use Dragon Rush on that Gengar, and take him out right now," huffed Eli. Dragonair shot through the air, leaving a blue aurora in his wake. He sped towards Gengar with massive speed, and Eli figured that Gengar would dodge the attack once again. However, Ivy did nothing as her Pokemon was smashed by the powerful Dragon type attack. This attack should have been a one-hit kill for Dragonair, but the band tied around Gengar's head pulsated with energy as he help on to his life after the attack. Then, Gengar followed up by launching a blob of sludge towards Dragonair. Eli had seen this attack before, but it did not faze him at all. Gengar's Toxic attack would be cured by Dragonair's Shed Skin ability, so the attack was a mute point. Both Pokemon's Perish Count fell to 2 as Eli fretted even more. If Eli were going to salvage his Pokemon, he would have to do it now.

"Buddy, use Aqua Jet on Gengar and finish this battle!" shouted Eli. Dragonair shot through the air, but he was blocked by an invisible wall that had been made by Gengar. This attack, known as Protect, kept Gengar safe from all damage this turn. Eli was infuriated, as he knew that Ivy was trying to stall Eli's Dragonair out. Eli would not take any crap from her, as both Pokemon's Perish Count fell to one. Now, Eli would have to hope that Protect would fail this time, and that he could successfully defeat Ivy's powerful Pokemon. "Buddy, try to use Aqua Jet one more time on Gengar!" cried Eli. This time it had to work. There was no way in Eli's mind that it couldn't. When Eli saw Gengar's small hands reach up to form a wall, he got nervous. But for some reason, the paralysis kicked in and Gengar shuddered before falling onto one knee. Dragonair's attack made a direct hit on Gengar, and Eli had successfully conquered the fifth gym leader. Ivy and Eli then approached the center of the field and shook hands.

"I must admit kid, you did pretty well," wheezed the old lady. She looked invigorated by the battle that she had just had. "Here is the Sludge Badge," said Ivy. She handed Eli a small badge that looked like a teardrop, except it was purple. Now, Eli was more than halfway through with the gym challenge. Eli shook Ivy's hand, and exited the cozy gym and headed back to the Pokemon Center.

End of Chapter 51


	52. Chapter 52

Chapter 52: Tick, Tock, Tick, Tock

After his exhilarating battle with Ivy for his 5th gym badge, Eli slowly made his way towards the Pokemon Center, which lined the edge of the town. Eli moved carelessly through the paths of the city, as he truly felt at home in this town, as its quiet atmosphere coupled with the warmth of a tightly knitted community was a place Eli could truly call home. He eventually made his way to the local Pokemon Center and entered the sliding glass doors to another cheery environment. At the Pokemon Center, Nurse Joy was at her usual post behind the desk at the back of the hospital, and some small shops dotted the edges of the facility, hoping to get some business from traveling trainers. Eli approached the front desk and handed his 5 Pokeballs to her, and thanked her for healing his Pokemon. He was told that it may take a while, so he decided to do some research on where he would go next. Walking over to one of the shops lining the Pokemon Center, he bought a small map showing the southern part of the Perodia Region. While the 6th gym was located in a different area, a smaller, underwater town intrigued him more. The place was called Cesium Town, and Eli searched it on his PokeDex to find out more information. Apparently, Cesium Town was once a bright and lovely city that functioned as a rest stop for those traveling through the Perodia Region. However, some miners were interested in the prospect of gold under the island. James Emritz was the head miner, and he captivated the rest of Cesium Town with the idea of an abundance of gold. The miners found a place close to the water and began to dig. In just a short week, they had dug a hole under the island and found lots of gold. They used this gold to make watches along with the cesium under the ground. Unfortunately, when the tide rose that night, it flooded the mine. It came into contact with the large quantities of Cesium that resided along the walls of the deep mine. Since Cesium is highly explosive when it comes in contact with water, a large explosion occurred, sinking the island and putting it at the bottom of the ocean. This was definitely one of the weirder stories that Eli had ever heard. A whole island just disappearing in one night? This place creeped Eli out, but it also sparked an adventurous spirit inside of Eli that prompted him to leave the Pokemon Center and walk next door to the PokeMart to get supplies for his journey. Eli entered the blue-roofed building and was greeted by an old shop owner. The store was run down, but it showed a lot of character about what the shop had been through. Eli grazed the aisles for what he was looking for, and finally found it in the Pokeballs section. His target was a Pokeball with a white base, but it had pictures of waves etched in blue paint along the middle. This was known as a Dive Ball, and they were skilled at catching Pokemon that lived under the water. Since Eli was planning on visiting the ruins of Cesium Town, which were underwater, he may find an interesting Pokemon to add to his team. He picked up 5 Dive Balls and kindly walked up to the owner of the store, who was also the cashier. He politely paid for the 5 Dive Balls from his prize money, which was still left over from his victory at the Neon City Pokemon Tournament. After purchasing the Dive Balls, he left the PokeMart and headed back to the Pokemon Center where he retrieved Pokemon and headed off towards Route 11, where he could get to Cesium Town the easiest.

When he arrived at Route 11, the afternoon sun glistened off of the sparkling ocean water. Eli smiled at the beautiful sight, and the treasures he might find intrigued him. He quickly changed into his swimsuit behind a tree, and packed all of his valuables into his water-tight backpack that had aided him on his journey so far. He then released Dragonair from his Pokeball, and described his plan to him. Dragonair understood him, and splashed into the water with ease. Eli then hopped onto the back of Dragonair, and the duo then sailed off into the ocean, seeking adventure. It seemed like they had navigated through the water forever, when Eli pulled out his PokeDex from his backpack and activated its GPS to see where they were in relation to Cesium Town. It turned out that they were directly on top of it, and Eli then began to divulge his plan to Dragonair.

"Alrighty Buddy, now we are over Cesium Town. I am going to hold my breath while you swim down. If he find any hollow rocks where air bubbles might reside, we will probably stop there so we don't have to continually come back up to the surface. Got it?" asked Eli. Dragonair nodded his head, and as soon as Eli held his breath, Dragonair leaped under the water. This sight under the water was absolutely marvelous. Pokemon of all shapes and sized swam through the water. A school of Magikarp navigated the waters while two Lanturn, one male and one female, lit up the darkness in the water with their lanterns. Dragonair continued to swim down further and further, before Eli pointed towards a hollowed out rock, most likely caused by the explosion. Eli knew that these rocks had small oxygen bubbles from the time he was a kid, when he would put cups in the bathtub, and even though they were underwater, a bubble of air still remained. He and Dragonair swam over to the rock, and floated towards the air bubble. When they reached there, Eli realized that this was not a small rock; it was a tunnel that looked like a mine. A mining helmet and pickaxe were still lying on the ground, and when Eli got up out of the water and looked closer, there was a golden pocket watch on the ground. Its time was still correct, and the ticking sound resonated in the cavern around him. Eli scoped out the room, before looking back at the watch with awe. It still kept perfect pace, even through the explosion. Eli then looked up from the watch and saw a dark hole on one of the walls of the cave. He returned Dragonair to his Pokeball, and walked over. The hole made no sounds, and Eli reached his arm into it. He heard the majestic roar of a Pokemon, which made Arcanine's roar sound like a kitten's. Eli then blacked out and awoke on a sandy beach.

End of Chapter 52


	53. Chapter 53

Chapter 53: Promethium Town

Eli's eyes fluttered open as many people surrounded him, cutting off his path to breath and light. When his eyes opened fully, many people breathed a sigh of relief, now knowing that Eli was OK. Eli then rolled over and coughed up large volumes of salt water, which Eli had probably inhaled while getting here. Speaking of which, where is here, thought Eli. He finally rolled back over and onto his butt, where he looked at the mass surrounding him. Many townspeople were surrounding Eli with Eli's back to the ocean. All of the people looked at Eli with surprise, which he had actually lived off the blast that had just occurred. The townspeople had been hearing explosions for a long time, but none of them had been as loud as that one. The previous explosion caused a tidal wave, which was luckily deflected by the fortified wall that surrounded the city. Explosions usually occurred when the tides found another air pocket containing Cesium. The Cesium then exploded on contact, and the explosion could occasionally be heard from the city. Finally, one of the elders in the town came forward and began to speak to Eli.

"Hello. Welcome to Promethium Town. My name is Thomas. What is your name?" inquired Thomas. Eli had to think a minute. He must have been hit hard by the explosion. Also, he wondered if he still had all of his things. He reached around his back and felt out all 5 of his Pokeballs and his PokeDex. His watch was also in the pocket in his swimsuit. Then, he answered the old man.

"Hi Thomas. My name is Eli. I am a Pokemon Trainer from Cobalt Town. I was exploring the ruins of Cesium Town when I saw a dark aurora. I ventured towards it, and I woke up here. I have no idea what happened, and I have no idea where I am or what day it is. If somebody could fill me in, that'd really be nice," commented Eli. Thomas' eyes widened when he heard that Eli had seen a dark aurora, and many townspeople shuddered. Thomas looked at Eli, to Eli's backpack, and back to Eli before making his response.

"Alright Eli. Come with me. Townspeople, please go back to your respective jobs. Thank you for coming out to check on this youngster," explained Thomas. He then waited for Eli to get up and began walking towards the town. Eli's legs felt like Jell-O, and his vision was blurry from his swirl through the ocean. However, he caught up to the slow old man in no time, but the old man said nothing. This gave Eli time to observe Promethium Town on the walk. Old shacks, which were apparently houses, lined the edges of the town. There was an old, run down Pokemon Center and no PokeMart, so that said something about the development of the town. In the middle of the town, there was an eerie looking building with smashed windows and creaky doors. A ragged sign above the opened double-doors said 'GYM'. This caused Eli to shudder, as he wondered if this was actually where the 6th Gym of Perodia was. Thomas and Eli kept walking until they reached the outskirts of town. Eli thought his house was just a little further, but they walked for more than an hour until they reached a small, one story house. A Pokemon that Eli had never seen before stood outside the house, guarding it until his master, Thomas, returned. Eli pulled out his PokeDex and silently snapped a picture of the Pokemon. Apparently, its name was Tropius. It was a combination of grass-flying types, and Eli liked this Pokemon. It had bananas hanging down from its neck, and apparently they regrew after being picked. Thomas opened the door for Eli and after Eli went inside, promptly entered and slammed the door, making sure no one would disrupt their conversation. Eli sat down at the kitchen table, and Thomas soon joined him. Thomas started the conversation.

"Now, describe to me what you saw again, Eli. You may be the first one to see this in more than a century, so I want to make sure that this is not some kind of foolish prank," said Thomas. Eli looked at Thomas strangely. Was this some super-rare occurrence, or was it a freak accident? Eli wiped the sweat from his hands and responded to the eager old man.

"OK. So, I was first exploring the Cesium Town Ruins, which I had read about at the Rhodium Town Pokemon Center. When I went down there, I came upon an air pocket and went inside to grab a breath. I was shocked when the area opened up to an entire cavern. I found mining gear and a watch," explained Eli. He took the watch out of his pocket and set it on the table. Thomas looked at the watch in awe, as it was rare to find one of these watches made in Cesium Town. There were less than 50 in existence after the accident. Eli kept on with his story after returning the watch to his pocket. "While I was inside the cavern, I saw a circle of dark aurora, and I curiously went towards it. I put my hand on it, and I heard a marvelous cry of a Pokemon, before blacking out. I woke up on the beach. That's all that I can really remember," finished Eli. Eli was as confused about this incident as a Slowpoke was when it was given a battle command. Thomas looked back up at Eli and stroked his beard, wondering if he should tell Eli what had really happened.

"Today, you met the legendary Pokemon Giratina. It is the master of the distortion world, a universe that is the inverse of ours. Giratina sensed that you were in danger and warped you out of the collapsing ruins as fast as he could. He sent you on a one-way track through the distortion world, and you landed in the ocean. The tide then carried you to shore. Now, the question is, why would Giratina save you? He is usually not fond of human lives, so it is a wonder that you made it out of there. Did you happen to save any important Pokemon?" asked Thomas. Eli then explained the incident with Deoxys on Aurum Mountain, and Thomas was amazed at the story. "That must be why. You got lucky today, child. Tell no one of this incident. Continue your journey as usual. The 6th gym leader in this town, Lucy, is a ghost type gym leader. Watch out for her, as she will probably know that you are coming," finished the old man. Eli thanked Thomas for his help, hopped on the back of his freshly released Arcanine, and rode at high velocity all the way back to the town.

End of Chapter 53


	54. Chapter 54

Chapter 54: Lucy Awaits

Eli rode back into town on his Arcanine, observing the beautiful island landscape around him. Now that Cesium Town was underwater for good, Promethium Town was the only town on an island in all of Perodia. It was isolated from the rest of the populous towns and cities, so life felt like it was moving in slow motion when Eli was here. Technology and politics lagged behind here, but Eli was OK with the delay. It was nice to see what life was like before Eli, who was only 14, was born. After walking through much of the town on Arcanine's back, the two went to the Pokemon Center to heal and prepare for the gym battle against Lucy. Eli only knew some information about Lucy. She was the ghost type gym leader, she was extremely skilled at utilizing quick and scary ghost types, and her opponents often had to spend a couple days in the local mental hospital because of the tricks she could play in battle, famous for causing hallucinations. Lucy, Eli figured, would be one of the toughest opponents for Eli because his pace and confidence in battle could be swung with just the mention of either Drake the Lapras or Darryl the Diglett. Eli shuddered just thinking about this battle, because it could easily swing him off the path of his journey. Team Eclipse had the opportunities to capture legendary Pokemon, and if Eli didn't run interference, nobody would suspect Eclipse Enterprises from taking over the Perodia Region. Eli pulled his mind away from that thought and walked up to Nurse Joy, who told Eli that it would be about an hour before his Pokemon were healed. Eli thanked the Nurse before taking a seat in the Pokemon Center to prepare himself mentally for the battle. If Atlas and Sarah could find their way through the Perodia Region, then there was no reason for Eli to get caught up in a small roadblock like Lucy's Ghost type gym. Now, Deoxys' advice was beginning to make more sense to Eli. Letting go allowed him to reach his full potential as a trainer, since he would no longer have to worry about losing another Pokemon. When Eli had fully prepared himself mentally, he walked over to the bakery next door and ordered a croissant for breakfast. He had not eaten since his incident at the Cesium Town ruins, so he quickly devoured the bread and walked back over to the Pokemon Center to retrieve his Pokemon. Nurse Joy kindly handed them over, and Eli made his way to the gym. On his way to the gym, Eli realized that this was the first gym in a while where he had gone in completely blind, with no knowledge of what Pokemon to expect. Eli opened the rickety door of the gym and entered the darkness.

Inside the gym, it was pitch black with smoke swirling around the room. Dimly lit candles were few and far between, and they only provided enough light for the next few feet. Old, cheesy carpet made up the floor, but Eli could not see any more of the design of the room. Lucy was nowhere to be found in this house of horrors, and Eli considered leaving until the door snapped shut behind him. He gulped in fear and turned back towards the dark room, in hopes of finding where Lucy was located so he could challenge her to a gym battle. Eli was hoping he could just go in, get his 6th badge, and get out as quick as possible. So far, that wasn't happening. Eli's head scanned from side to side, but he still found nothing that would point him towards Lucy. Finally, he decided that using his Pokemon to help find Lucy would be fair game, so he let Arcanine out of his Pokeball.

"Yippers, let's use flamethrower on the floor to draw Lucy out of her hiding spot!" shouted Eli. Arcanine opened his gaping jaws and let loose a column of fire that bounced off of the floors, setting the carpet and the walls on fire. At first, Eli heard nothing coming from the eerie building, and the fire certainly added to the spookiness of the scene. Everywhere Eli looked, he was surrounded by fire. Now, a minute voice rang out throughout the manor.

"So, you must be Eli. My ghosts have told me about you. After all, I am the ghost master," spoke the voice. Suddenly, a flash of fire rang out from the ceiling and a girl, no older than 16, dropped from the chandelier and landed on her feet. The fire seemingly died down in the room, as a new flame had just appeared. However, this flame would not burn Eli physically, but it would mentally. The carpet then absorbed the flames, and only Lucy, Arcanine, and Eli were still left in the room. Eli winced as Lucy grinned at Eli. "I know that you are here to challenge me to a battle, but I always like to make this a little twist. If you win, you get the badge and I leave you alone for eternity. However, any Pokemon you use in this fight that dies, their soul belongs to me and my Ghost Pokemon. Do we have a deal?" asked Lucy. Eli thought about this for a long time before drawing to an answer. If he lost any of his older Pokemon, then he would never be able to live with himself ever again. However, if he won, then this creepy girl would be out of his life forever. The stakes were high, but Eli accepted the challenge. "Very well, I haven't had someone with the strength to say yes to that in a long time. No matter, let the battle begin!' cried Lucy. The lights flashed on, showing the rest of the room in a bright elegance. The walls contained murals of different ghost type Pokemon, and there was one ghost who appeared in almost every picture: Dusknoir. Eli had seen this Pokemon in different books before, but it looked menacing up on the wall in this environment. Eli assumed that Lucy had this beast, and gameplanned for a massive fight. Lucy made the first move and sent out her first Pokemon.

End of Chapter 54


	55. Chapter 55

Chapter 55: One Creepy Doll

Bright lights illuminated the eerie room, revealing the site for the battle between Eli and Lucy. This fight held a large amount of weight, as Eli would be fighting for his 6th gym badge. Eli knew that some of his Pokemon would be rendered useless for this fight, like Alakazam, because his moves did no harm to the ghost type Pokemon that Lucy would be using. It was a shame that Alakazam, one of the wiser, more developed, and more powerful team members would have to sit this battle out. Eli would have to lean heavily on the other Pokemon he had. Those four Pokemon, Arcanine, Bulbasaur, Dragonair, and Golbat, were all well equipped to fight after their training session on Mount Aurum. The training session reassured Eli in this fight, as he could play any style due to the wide variety of personalities that his Pokemon had. He could play stall ball with Bulbasaur, or speed things up with Golbat and Arcanine. Any path that Lucy took when trying to counter Eli could be prevented, and that may spell victory for Eli. Lucy then sent out her first Pokemon, and this Pokemon took all of the confidence from Eli's battle plans and destroyed it. The Pokemon that was sent out was sure a ghost, and it carried a humanoid look along with it. Its wide eyes stared deep into Eli, shaking his confidence that he had worked so hard to build up. He thought he was seeing things when the ghostly Pokemon grinned at Eli and winked, as if he was doing some akward flirting method. The Pokemon had a yellow tail and what looked like a zipper attached to the side of its mouth, adding to the creepiness. Eli opened up his PokeDex to get more information on the Pokemon. The dual screens of the encyclopedia opened and quickly illuminated before snapping a ppicture of the Pokemon. Apparently, the Pokemon's name was Banette, and it was pure ghost type. It could learn a wide variety of moves, which meant that Eli would have to feel Banette out before he could go in an all-out onslaught. When Eli read its PokeDex entry, he shuddered and a shiver went down his spine. He quickly scanned through the entry one more time, just to make sure that he had read that right, and Lucy was not playing mind games with him. It read, _A cursed energy permeated the stuffing of a discarded and forgotten plush doll, giving it new life as Banette. The Pokémon's energy would escape if it were to ever open its mouth. _Eli thought about what his options might be to counter this, and he could come up with no simple answer, so he went to his strongest and most reliable Pokemon to handle this freak-show of a Pokemon.

"Yippers, I choose you!" shouted Eli. The large, majestic dog hurtled out of his Pokeball and landed on the rug covering the floor. Banette tried to stare Arcanine down and rattle it, but Arcanine returned his gaze and began to give a low growl from his snout. Arcanine would not be easily intimidated by such a Pokemon as this. Eli decided that in order to beat this Pokemon, he would have to make the first move to set the tempo. He decided to test out Arcanine's skill that they had tested out on Mount Aurum, as that might give them an advantage by wearing the foe Banette down. "Yippers, use your cloning Double Team, now!" cried Eli. The dog howled in the face of Banette, and focused all of his energy into making three perfect copies of himself to counter Banette. Eli could not distinguish the difference between the four, so he was sure that Lucy and Banette would have a rough go at attacking the right one. Plus, these clones acted as mirror images of Arcanine, so that meant that they could deal damage just like the real one. If Banette didn't get lucky and eliminate the correct one on his first try, he may have some trouble down the road. Three flamethrower attacks coming from Arcanine was not a desired tactic to start a battle. Eli could already see the drops of sweat forming on Lucy's head, and Eli could see that he had already gotten into the head of the young gym leader. However, Banette looked unfazed as he carefully scanned the details of the four Arcanine's placed in front of him. Now, Lucy was forced to make her move.

"Alright Banette, fire back a ThunderBolt to try to strike down the correct Arcanine! Go with your gut feeling on the right one!" roared Lucy. Banette scanned the row of Arcanines one more time before reaching above his head and pulling a yellowed orb out of the air. Banette held it in front of his face and pushed it towards the Arcanine that was furthest to the left. Banette must have chosen right, because Arcanine then had to fire back an attack to prevent the veil from being broken. All four Arcanines launched a column of white-hot fire out of their mouths and intercepted the electrical attack. They began to push the attack back, but at a heavy cost to Arcanine. His energy level was rapidly diminishing, and this battle would have to end soon if Arcanine would live. Finally, the beam of electricity was diminished to nothing, leaving Banette exhausted and open to a fierce attack. Now, Eli was ready to showcase his new, super-effective move that would hopefully level his first opponent in his quest for his 6th gym badge.

"Alright, I need the three clones to go jump on Banette to hold him down! After that, Yippers, use Crunch and finish this battle!" shouted Eli. Three hounds dashed towards Banette, leaving it no escape in the fight against Arcanine. All three Arcanine then pounced and held the ghostly Banette on the ground, leaving it unable to defend itself in any case of attack. Then, the real Arcanine dashed towards Banette and sunk his jaws into the doll, throwing him around and whipping his body around like a rag. Then, he slowly walked over to Lucy and set Banette by her feet. Banette was unable to battle, but Arcanine had shown enough mercy to not kill her Pokemon. Arcanine's knees then buckled as he fell to the ground, weakened by fatigue. Eli quickly returned him to his Pokeball, salvaging his favorite Pokemon that he had caught so far.

"Firstly, I want to thank you for saving my Banette. I have had him since I was a child, and it is very important that he stays with me in the human world before moving on to his after-after life, since he is already dead I suppose. Next, I want to warn you that this battle is NOT over. I will still come at you with my other two Pokemon, the first one being right here in my hand. Are you ready to get blown away?" asked Lucy. Eli grinned and nodded his head, as he was still confident after taking Banette down. "Frosslass, I choose you!" shouted Lucy. The next Pokemon was sent out, and Eli was faced with a brand new challenge.

End of Chapter 55


	56. Chapter 56

Chapter 56: Freaky Frosslass

Lucy and Eli stared at each other, both ready to fight as hard as they could to beat each other. Lucy, who had just sent out her Frosslass, was the 6th gym leader in Promethium Town, and she was in a bout with Eli for the 6th gym badge. Lucy had just lost her Banette to Eli's Arcanine, but she was still a formidable force. Eli had just returned his Arcanine to its Pokeball, because it had worn itself down using the special clone Double Team that he had mastered. Eli would have to help Arcanine be more efficient at this, because just one use wore Arcanine down to the point that he would not be able to fight another Pokemon. Now, Eli was tasked with finding a way to counter Frosslass, which was a brutal mix of ice and ghost type, meaning it would want to attack from a distance. Arcanine would be a perfect counter for this, but he had already worn himself down too much. Dragonair, who Eli had wanted to use and train against Lucy, would be useless due to his major weakness to ice types. Another one of Eli's Pokemon, Alakazam, would also be useless against Frosslass because of Frosslass' strength against psychic types. This left Eli with only two options against Frosslass- Golbat and Bulbasaur. Both of them were brutally weak to ice type attacks, but at least Golbat knew Crunch, which would be enough to kill the frail Frosslass. It would be a major risk to send out Golbat, as one fowl ice type attack would be the death of the bat that Eli had used so many times on his journey. It was a tough pill to swallow, but Eli would have to take it and man up if he wanted to get his 6th gym badge.

"Screech, let's go out and fight!" cried Eli. A white light erupted from the Pokeball that Eli threw, and the particles quickly formed into the shape of a bat before adding color and definition. Golbat was now ready to fight Frosslass at whatever cost was necessary. Lucy smiled when she saw the Golbat was on the field, and Eli knew that Lucy would be overconfident about this. Lucy was a little younger than Eli, and she would easily be lured into the trap that Eli could set up. Now, it was Golbat's time to shine. "Screech, go out and get 'em with your Sludge Bomb!" yelled Eli. Golbat flapped his wings and ascended into the air before opening his large mouth and lashing out at Frosslass with a stream of noxious sludge. The attack smashed into Frosslass, but the Pokemon still seemed unfazed, as if nothing even happened. Lucy smiled as Eli was taken aback from the results of the attack, and Lucy laughed and looked at Eli.

"You see, my Frosslass was one of my first Pokemon, and it is my second strongest. It is impeccably strong and capable of weathering out any attack that is launched its way. You will not be able to take it out in one shot like you did my Banette, as it is not that easy. Frosslass, showcase your strength and use Blizzard, now," commanded Lucy. The ghostly fiend shot out a barrage if ice towards Golbat, but the attack was moving way to slow, making it easy to dodge. However, Eli knew that even though the attack appeared slow, the Pokemon was still very fast. Eli would not be let off that easy next time, as Lucy would opt for an attack that traveled faster to snipe Golbat out of the sky. Eli knew that a powerful attack was to come fast, so he needed to raise Golbat's speed, but he had no way of doing so. He needed to wear Frosslass down before trying to use Crunch, as Lucy would panic and fire back her best attack if she knew that Eli had a super-effective attack. Now, it was time for Eli to make his move.

"Alright Screech, go after Frosslass using Acrobatics!" bellowed Eli. Golbat raced towards Frosslass and launched his frail body towards the icy beast, who only took partial damage from the attack because of the impeccable speed it used to dodge the attack. Now, Frosslass should be in range for a knock-out via Golbat's Crunch attack, but Eli would need the bat to be going faster to land the perfect attack. Suddenly, Eli had an idea about how to gain more speed, but it sure was a risky one. He would have to let Golbat get hit by the freezing ice attack and weigh it down, so it could gain more speed when plummeting towards Frosslass. Eli decided to stick with the plan, and he commanded it to Golbat. "Screech, fly straight up and try to live off an ice attack, got it?" screeched Eli. Golbat shrieked and continued to fly straight up. Hopefully, Frosslass and Lucy would attack before Golbat ran out of flying space. Lucy saw the opportunity and pounced, springing Eli's trap perfectly.

"Frosslass, hit 'em with an Ice Beam and send that little bat right back to the ground!" barked Lucy. Frosslass shot out a dwindling beam of ice from its dastardly lips and hit the back of Golbat with precision. If Golbat had not wanted to be hit, then that attack would have been brutal and possibly resulted in the death of the bat. Golbat cried out in pain before gravity pulled him back towards the ground. Eli smirked, as Golbat had the strength to hold on a brave out the attack and be ready to attack on the rebound. Now, Frosslass' life relied on this.

"Screech, finish this battle with Crunch! Use the inertia to speed you up and make sure that Frosslass couldn't dodge!" shouted Eli. Golbat sped towards the ground by pressing his wings to the contours of his body, forming a faint slipstream around his body. He opened up his fangs and swooped down towards the ghastly creature and sunk his teeth into it. Frosslass screeched in pain and shot out a last resort Ice Beam attack towards Golbat. It appeared to miss, but a screen of smoke flooded the battlefield, and it was pierced by a white, blinding light.

End of Chapter 56


	57. Chapter 57

Chapter 57: The Final Hurdle

A white light blinded Eli with every look he took at the spot where Golbat should have landed his super-effective attack against Frosslass. Eli winced, as memories of Diglett's death flooded his mind, as the smoke still had yet to clear. However, this time, Eli knew that his Pokemon was strong enough to take down Frosslass, so he tried to keep calm. Suddenly, the smoke began to clear, and Eli could see a figure glowing in bright light. It was a far cry from what Golbat looked like, but it also didn't look like Frosslass either. The figure had a sleeker design than either, and it had two sets of wings that still illuminated the battlefield with light. Suddenly, one thing came to Eli's mind: Golbat had evolved. A massive smile shot onto his face, but it was wiped away after the light went out. Now, there was no light illuminating the smoke, but it was still clearing. Not 15 seconds later, Crobat, the evolved form of Golbat, flew out of the smoke, signifying Eli's victory. Eli cheered as Lucy returned her Frosslass back into her Pokeball. She at first looked saddened at her Pokeball, but then she looked up towards Eli, accepting that she had to move on from her defeat and topple five of Eli's Pokemon with her last one.

"Nice job Eli. I didn't think you would be able to counter my Frosslass because you had already used your Arcanine too much. However, don't think that you're out of the woods yet. I have saved my most powerful Pokemon for last. If you thought my others were hard, then you've got a whole different world of pain coming. Dusknoir, let's go!" shouted Lucy. A large, charcoal color Pokemon came bursting out of the Pokebal that Lucy had thrown. It had a large, red eye at the top of what appeared to be its head, and it's large hands were perfect to throw powerful punches at the opponent without breaking a sweat. However, Eli saw a large, yellow mouth and face etched on the Pokemon's stomach. This was probably a fake appearance to intimidate opponents, and it sure was working wonders on Eli. This was the toughest looking Pokemon that Eli had faced so far, and Eli was also limited on the kinds of Pokemon that he could use. Arcanine was too good to risk by throwing back into battle, as he was already too weak. Alakazam was out of the question, as one hit from a ghost type move would spell doom for the frail, mustached creature. Crobat, even though he had triumphed in his last fight, was in no condition to wage another full-fledged attack against a more powerful opponent. So, Eli was then down to two choices: Bulbasaur or Dragonair. He decided that if Dragonair could go in there and quickly damage Dusknoir and figure out his attacks then Bulbasaur could come in and clean house, giving Eli his 6th gym badge.

"Buddy, let's go out and get this gym badge!" cried Eli. The long serpent slithered out of his Pokeball, ready to fight any task he was faced with. Now, Eli had to decide what move to use against such a powerful Pokemon. Outrage was out of the question, as it would trap Dragonair if something were to go wrong. Aqua Jet would not pack enough punch, even though it would be sure to move first. Now, Surf and Thunderbolt were the last two options, and both of them had their advantages and disadvantages. Eli opted to go with Surf to try and set the tempo for the battle. "Buddy, go and use Surf on Dusknoir! Drown 'em out!" bellowed Eli. Dragonair raised his majestic horn up into the air and summoned a wall of water out onto the battlefield, sending it crashing towards Dusknoir. Lucy didn't panic at all, as Dusknoir simply extended his fist and parted most of the water coming his way. Finally, the onslaught of water stopped, and Dusknoir was left with only a few minor injuries after the attack. Eli was amazed that a Pokemon so powerful could not even be scratched by the powerful attack. Now, Dusknoir had the opportunity to be on the offensive.

"Nice move Dusknoir. Now, fire back a Pursuit attack at Dragonair. Make sure he won't walk this one off!" barked Lucy. Dusknoir nodded his head and dashed off towards Dragonair, hovering right above the ground. A wake of darkness followed behind Dusknoir, and Eli trusted that his Dragonair would try his best to dodge the attack. Dragonair quickly kicked it into gear, slithering to the right to try and dodge the attack. However, Dusknoir made a keen adjustment and still slammed into Dragonair with a powerful force. Dragonair cried out in pain, and Eli winced, fearing for the life of his Pokemon. However, Dragonair still got back up, and was able to brave off the attack that Dusknoir had thrown his way. Since Surf had not crippled Dusknoir as much as Eli would have liked, he decided that Thunderbolt would be the way to go this time.

"Alright Dragonair, hang in there! Use Thunderbolt at Dusknoir with all of your might!" shouted Eli. Dragonair once again sprang up into the air and shot out a beam of electricity from his horn. The attack wavered through the air and made contact with Dusknoir. Even though he had blocked the attack and taken little damage, he had been paralyzed by the attack. Now, he would be slowed and his movement would be restricted. That would have been the difference between dodging the Pursuit attack that Dusknoir use earlier. Hopefully, Dragonair would be able to dodge the next attack that was thrown his way despite his fatigue.

"Dusknoir, use Ice Punch, now!" shouted Lucy. Dusknoir sprang towards Dragonair, and it seemed like the effects of paralysis were not working as well as Eli had thought. As long as Dusknoir kept moving, the effects would take longer to kick in than if he was sitting still. Dusknoir rushed over to Dragonair, who was not quick enough to get out of the way. The icy fist of Dusknoir came pummeling down on Dragonair, and Eli quickly returned him to his Pokeball to prevent any more damage. Dragonair had barely braved that attack, and it made this battle a whole lot more difficult. Alakazam would be dead in an instant, but Bulbasaur would have to face the super-effective Ice Punch that Dusknoir could use. Eli decided that Bulbasaur was the best way to go, and that he would have to play stall ball with Dusknoir until the effects of paralysis kicked in. Eli reached for his pocket and pulled out the Pokeball containing the first Pokemon he had received on his journey.

"Syntha, I choose you!" erupted Eli, who had all of his hopes lying on this one situation. The jolly, green dinosaur sprang out of his Pokeball and landed triumphantly on the field. Eli already knew what he was up against, and this would be one of the tougher battles that his Bulbasaur would have ever been a member of. It was Eli's turn to make the first move, and every one from here on out must be well thought through and weighed to the situation. "Syntha, make a barrier around you on all sides using Leech Seed!" shouted Eli. Bulbasaur launched three of four seeds of out of his bulb on his back and waited for them to land on the ground. Then, the seeds began to quickly grow in walls, blocking all views of Bulbasaur. Eli now would have to trust that Bulbasaur would carry out the plan that Eli had told him when they were riding back to town from the elder's house. All of his hopes were riding on this plan, so it would be a disaster if things didn't pay off.

"Dusknoir, go in and smash down that wall with Fire Punch!" shouted Lucy. Lucy had a sly look on her face, but if the plan worked, this battle would be over in an instant. Eli knew that Fire Punch would likely kill Bulbasaur if the plan didn't work, so he anxiously awaited the first step to be completed. As Dusknoir was rushing towards Bulbasaur's ivy wall, a small seed shot straight up into the air, signifying that the first step had been initiated. Now, Eli would have to wait for Dusknoir's fire-engulfed fists to break down the wall before continuing. He didn't have to wait long, as the ghost swiftly made his way over and smashed his fist into the wall. Eli held his ground, as Dusknoir would have to recharge his fists to attack again. Now, the seed that Bulbasaur had shot up earlier landed on Dusknoir's back, and the ivy that he had punched wrapped around his hand. Now, the ivy made its way up Dusknoir's arm as Lucy could only watch in panic. She couldn't use Fire Punch to get the vines off, as she would only be hurting herself. It was a no-win situation for her, as the vines continued to wrap around Dusknoir. In less than a minute, every part of Dusknoir's body, except his eyes, was covered in a thick layer of vines. Dusknoir had turned into a mummy, and there was no escaping. The effects of paralysis set in quickly, and Dusknoir had no way to move and escape his coffin.

"Now, this battle is over. Syntha, use Energy Ball and finish this battle," commanded Eli. Bulbasaur opened his jaws and charged up a ball of green energy in his mouth. He was stregnthed by the power being leeched out of Dusknoir, so this attack would be even more powerful. On command, Bulbasaur launched out the attack and made direct contact with Dusknoir. The vines stayed in place, as the attack had nailed the face of Dusknoir. Now, the vines covered Dusknoir's face, leaving it down for the count. Lucy walked over to Eli and handed him a small, metallic object that Eli recognized as a gym badge. Lucy explained that it was the Reaper Badge, and then she let Eli leave the gym. Eli then went back to the Pokemon Center to rest up and relish in his victory.

End of Chapter 57


	58. Chapter 58

Chapter 58: The Battle What?

Eli walked through the dirt roads of the small, ragged town that held the name Promethium Town. He had just earned the Reaper Badge, the 6th so far on his journey through the Perodia Region. Lucy had been a tough opponent for Eli, as she had possessed a wide variety of moves that crippled Eli's Pokemon down the road. He would need to pace himself more next time, so that he would not suffer a loss of a Pokemon. The battle, Eli thought, could have gone a lot worse. If Dusknoir had not fallen for the Leech Seed coffin trap, then the tides could have turned. This showed Eli that he needed to be stronger next time. He then walked off of the old, dusty road and walked into the ragged Pokemon Center with the faded red roof, a stark contrast to all of the other Pokemon Centers that he had seen along the way. He opened the heavy, glass door with his sore hand and walked inside. The inside of the Pokemon Center was also very different from the others that Eli had seen along his journey. There were no small shops lining the inside of the building, and the healing systems looked old fashioned and worn down. Eli was a little suspect of healing his Pokemon here, but he really had no choice at all. He walked up to Nurse Joy, who was as cheery as all of her relatives, and handed over his 5 Pokemon for healing. She plopped the Pokeballs on her machine, and informed Eli that it would take about 15 minutes to heal the Pokemon. Eli, surprised that it would heal that fast, thanked her and took a seat in the lobby and inspected his map. Since the day was still relatively young, reading 2 PM on his pocket watch, he decided that he could make it to one town today before having to call it a night. The 7th gym was located in Iridium Town, but it was a little bit of a hike to get there. He had two options to get there. The first one was the longer and more treacherous of the two. This involved Eli going through Aurum Caverns, one of the toughest locations in Perodia, and coming out the other side in Cobalt Town. He would then greet his parents and sleep at home before setting off in the morning to Tridium City. He had already been to these two locations, meaning that he would not be able to catch a new Pokemon. Then he would go to Thulium City, where he had not been before, and then travel south and end up in Tridium City. This trip would take Eli about three days, where as the other would take him about two. The second option, which would take him only two days, involved him bypassing Aurum Caverns and going to Dysporium Town, where he could rest for the night. Bypassing Aurum Caverns would probably be a good decision, because Aurum Caverns was a place that could wipe out all of Eli's Pokemon without a problem. However, after staying the night in Dysporium Town, Eli could simply travel to Vandium Town and then to Iridium Town, where he could challenge the 7th gym leader. This route gave him the potential for 5 new Pokemon, where the other gave him less potential for adding Pokemon to his team. Even though he could only carry 6 Pokemon with him, having more would be nice if one of his friends, Arceus forbid, bit the dust. Right after Eli had decided to take the second route, Nurse Joy called him over and gave him his Pokemon back, assuring that they were fully healed. Eli thanked her for healing them so quickly, and departed the Pokemon Center, ready to go to Dysporium Town.

When Eli reached the eastern seaboard of Promethium Town, he let Dragonair out of his Pokeball and informed him of the plan. Dragonair seemed OK with the plan, so Eli let the serpent slither into the water and prepare for the ride. Quickly, Eli hopped on his back and the two made their way through the ocean that thrived with Pokemon. Eli opened up his eyes underwater, and even though it was extremely blurry because of the salt water that flushed Eli's eyes, he could still identify many Pokemon that swam under the water. The first Pokemon he recognized was Wailord, and it was probably the easiest to recognize. It swam through the trench that Eli was floating over, and a pack of Wailmer swam behind it. Up above the lips of the trench, a pack of Goldeen made their way through the calm waves of the ocean. Their horns pointed towards where they were going, and Eli watched as they disappeared from sight, going behind Eli's eyesight. Finally, Eli saw a school of Stunfisk sitting on the lips of the trench. Their yellow bodies stood out in the sea, and Eli was always fond of the small little fish. While he was wasting his time away going across the water, Dragonair had been hauling it and they had reached Dysporium Town. Eli returned Dragonair to his Pokeball and thanked him for his service before walking up the wooden stairs that lead into town.

When Eli reached town, the sun was starting to drift down the horizon, and Eli's first priority was to find a place to stay for the night. His first option was the Pokemon Center, so he walked down the modern, concrete road, which was a stark contrast from the dirt roads in Promethium Town. The buildings were all built in the same cookie-cutter model, with two stories and one large window on the second floor. All of them were built out of the same, dark colored wood, which made the red rood of the Pokemon Center extremely easy to find and locate. Eli was ready to enter the Pokemon Center when he saw one other building, besides the PokeMart, that stood out more than the rest. It was built out of dark colored metal, and it went up 11 stories, for what Eli could count. The building had no windows on any of the walls, and large spikes were sticking out of the sides of the structure. Eli had no idea what the building could be, but he figured that he could find someone inside that knew. When he entered, he opted to not give his Pokemon to Nurse Joy, but rather go get a room at the Pokemon Center dorms. There were four rooms at the back, and Eli tried the first door. The knob on the door didn't open, so he went to the next one. He got the same result from the second and third doors, but the fourth door finally opened. He threw his backpack down on the bed and got the key from inside the room. He then locked the door so no one would steal his room, and walked back out to the lobby. Upon entering the lobby, he spotted a familiar face that he knew would explain the large tower in the city. He walked over to the boy and tapped him on the shoulder. The boy whipped around and shot a large smile at Eli. The boy that Eli had found was Atlas, and Eli sat down across from him. "Hey Atlas! Glad to see you here. Have you gotten your 6th badge? Also, what in Arceus' name is that giant tower?" asked Eli. Atlas didn't wait long to fire back a response.

"Glad to see you here too, Eli. I did in fact get my 6th gym badge from Lucy. She is one tough trainer. Thankfully, my Charizard was able to handle most of them. I assume, since you're here, that you have the 6th badge as well. Onto the giant building. It stuck out to me at first too, but then I figured it out later. I read about it in a book once. It is known as the Battle Tower, and it is one of the more famous competitions in the Perodia Region. The Battle Tower is a place where all trainers with 6 or more badges can attend. There are obstacle courses on each level, and the first trainer to get through the course gets to fight the trainer who is the boss of each level. If you win, then you get to move on to the next floor which follows the same pattern. Not only is this a great method to boost your Pokemon's strength, but you can also get prizes at the top of the tower. The prizes, as you are probably wondering, are based on how fast you reach the top. Since all the trainers start at the same time, this is a fair system to judge people upon. Each level gets progressively harder, and only the best make it to the top. First prize is 10,000 P and a Pokemon named Lairon. This is a Pokemon that I would like to have on my team, and I intend on doing so. Second prize, which you should be more interested in because I'm not losing to you this time, is 5,000 P and a radio attachment for the PokeDex. Third prize is 2,500 P. Hopefully, both of us can snag a prize tomorrow, since I know that your competitive spirit is egging you on," explained Atlas. As sad as it was, Atlas was right. Eli wanted the first prize, and he was not going to stop until he got it. He told Atlas that he planned to attend, and Eli went off to his dorm to rest up for the competition tomorrow.

End of Chapter 58


	59. Chapter 59

Chapter 59: The Battle Tower Begins!

The sunlight shot through the shaded window of the fourth dorm room in the Pokemon Center where Eli was sleeping. Eli rolled out of bed and rubbed the sleep out of his eye before remembering what important event was today. The Battle Tower, which Atlas had informed him of, started today and registration closed in 15 minutes. Eli hastily threw his blankets aside and slipped into some clean clothes before grabbing his pre-packed backpack and running out of the red-roofed building. As Eli ran down the asphalt streets he thought of all the challenges that could be ahead of him if he entered the Battle Tower and complied by the ruled and obligations. He may lose another Pokemon in this building, just like he lost Diglett and Lapras earlier in his journey. However, he needed to fight in memory of them, no matter how bad in hurt on the inside. Deoxys had been right when he told Eli that he needed to suck it up and move on when a Pokemon died. It was part of the challenge, and Eli needed to accept the facts of that. With his mind ready for the challenge, he pushed open the heavy, iron doors and entered the well-lit building.

To Eli's surprise, there were not as many trainers in the facility as he thought. Unlike the Neon City tournament, where there was a full roster of trainers, there seemed to be only 10 trainers here. Atlas was one of them already here, and he looked like he had been here for quite a while. He had a cup of Stanler Coffee in his hands and he looked mellow like every other occasion. The other 8 trainers in attendance looked like not only their Pokemon were in peak condition, but they were. Eli was worried by this, as he didn't want to hold his Pokemon back. Eli waved the thought from his mind and walked up to the desk, where he was registered as the 11th and final participant. If Eli had been any later, then he probably would not have been in this competition. All the trainers in the room were then directed towards a smaller, poorly-lit room that barely held all of them. There was a flat screen TV mounted on one of the walls of the room, and it flashed on as soon as the other set of doors behind Eli closed. This was most likely where the challenge begun, and the TV reaffirmed Eli's thought. A man with spiked, black hair came on the TV and seemed to stare into the eyes of the competitors. He then opened his pursed lips and begin to speak to the 11 people clogged in the small room.

"Hello, and welcome to the Summer Solstice's Edition of the Battle Tower. I am the owner of this tower, and also the 10th floor master. I sincerely hope that all of you can make it that far. So, I assume that you guys all know how this works, but I will give you a refresher course in case you forgot. Each floor has a maze you must get through, and the first one to get through has the first shot at fighting the floor leader. If you beat the floor leader, you move on to the next floor. Now, you may also attack other players to delay them from getting to the next floor, but do so at your own risk. However, there is one more catch before I let you go- you may only use 1 Pokemon per floor, and you cannot use the same Pokemon on two consecutive floors. This prevents people from trying to solo this competition. Are you guys ready? You better be. Begin!" summoned the man, and two doors swung open, allowing escape from the small room. 9 of the trainers rushed out the doors with their Pokemon, bashing each other to pieces. However, Eli and Atlas both stayed back and worked out a pact.

"Alright Atlas, le's make this quick so we don't get too far behind. We help each other through 9 floors, watch each others backs' and then, after that, it's a free for all. Deal?" asked Eli. Atlas nodded his head, and the two dashed out into the arena, looking to get ahead. The maze was a creepy one to begin; the walls were made of bones, and tripwires activated, dropping people into holes that they struggled to get out of. This maze was surely designed to catch reckless people out of the gate, sidelining them until someone reached the top. Eli and Atlas both looked at the maze carefully, before deciding on which Pokemon to use first. Atlas opted for his Charizard, nicknamed Swaggy, to try to blast his way through all the barriers on the first floor. Eli decided to choose Alakazam, as he was abut to cross the line from being good to being kind of cheaty to get through the maze. Atlas quickly hopped on the back of his Charizard and flew as high as he could. This enabled him to fly over any potential traps that may have been set, and to guide Eli through the maze. Atlas assumed that Eli could not use fly with one of his Pokemon, so this was his way of helping. However, Eli jumped onto Alakazam's back and had him use Teleport, zapping Eli to the first floor leader and avoiding all the obstacles that could have plagued him. Eli could hear Atlas swearing as he flew through the air on his Charizard, making him chuckle. Atlas had always been jealous of Eli, as Eli had been heralded as the best in Cobalt Town for most of his life. Eli shifted his attention to the first floor leader, which put his in a more serious manner. The first floor leader was a woman, who looked about 20. She had long, blonde hair and wore a red dress for the occasion. She shot a snide look at Eli, and he returned it with a smile.

"I'll let that gimmicky trick slide this time kid, but you better know that next time you use that, you'll be disqualified from this competition. Now, since you're the first one here, you'll be my first victory of the day. Milotic, let's go!" shouted the floor leader. Eli had watched a Milotic battle before, and he already knew that the strategy for this Pokemon usually relied of stalling out your opponent and letting them feel the effects of status conditions in a painful manner. Eli already, by choice, had to go with Alakazam, but he felt extremely confident in his chances with Alakazam running the show. The main reason was, Eli's Alakazam had a unique trait that few others possessed. His Alakazam had the ability Magic Guard, so it would take no poison or burn damage, two things that Milotic relied heavily upon. However, Milotic and the floor leader didn't know that yet, and it would sure come as a surprise. "Alright Milotic, let's get it rolling with Toxic!" shouted the floor leader. Alakazam waited for Eli to give commands, but with the telepathy that Alakzam could use, Eli didn't even need to speak. Alakazam used his psychic powers to catch the blob of poison in mid-air and send it flying back at Milotic. The serpent was not quick enough to dodge it, and Milotic was not plagued with a status condition. Eli had strategically turned Milotic's attack back at it, and now the tides had completely turned. The floor leader grimaced, and made the next move. "Alrighty Milotic, hit that Alakazam with a Hydro Pump!" shouted the floor leader. Miltoic whipped her serpent head up into the air and shot out a column of pulsating water at Alakazam. However, this attack was no match for Alakazam's psychic powers. He swiftly teleported away from the attack and lifted Milotic up into the air with his Psychic attack. Alakazam slowly lifted Milotic up into the air with his psychic attack and dropped the water-type onto the ground. After the damage taken from poison, and this attack, Milotic was down for the count. The floor leader opened the door to the second floor for Eli, but Eli waited for Atlas to crush Milotic with Charizard. Eli was surprised by Charizard's strength, as it was easily able to take down water types with Dragon Pulse. Eli and Atlas then stormed up the stairs, and were the first two contestants to the second floor.

The second floor of the maze was much different than the first. On this floor, a pool of water separated the contestants from the leader. However, this seemed too easy for a floor of the Battle Tower. To test out the water, Eli reached into his backpack and pulled out a rock that had gotten thrown into his bag during the explosion of the underwater city. He threw the rock into the water and ran up to the bank to see what happened. The rock was almost dissolved by the time he got there, showing that this water was a force to be reckoned with. Eli looked at Atlas, who gulped in fear, as the two had now hit a roadblock in the tower.

End of Chapter 59


	60. Chapter 60

Chapter 60: Climbing the Ladder

Eli and Atlas stood anxiously at the bank of the noxious water that separated them from the floor leader. They were stranded with no plan to get across. The ceilings were low enough that they couldn't fly over the water, and there appeared to be no alternate routes around the place. Eli had already used Alakazam on the last floor, so he could not repeat his choice to part the seas on this floor. Eli and Atlas had no clue what to do, before an idea sprung to Atlas' head.

"Eli, I have an idea," whispered Atlas. He kept his voice low to keep the secret away from any passerby who might try the same idea. Eli's face glowed with anticipation, as he was ready to get across the water as fast as possible. "I have one Pokemon that I've never shown you, and I think that it will let us get across this void. Slowbro, come on out!" summoned Atlas. A pink looking critter erupted out of the Pokeball, staring at Eli with an empty daze. Eli looked at the Pokemon, and noticed a shell on its tail. The giant salamander looked at the water, and then returned an empty stare at Atlas. Atlas covered his face, as Slowbro was not the smartest of Pokemon around. He then looked back at the Pokemon and gave it the command he was looking for. "Slowbro, use Confusion and part the water for just a moment!" bellowed Atlas. Slowbro made his way over to the water and parted the water just far enough to where Eli and Atlas could dash through the gap and make it to the other side. While Eli was running over, he thought about what Pokemon he would use to battle on this floor. He had the option of choosing Crobat, Bulbasaur, Dragonair, or Arcanine. Depending on whom the floor leader used, Eli would make his choice. Eli and Atlas had decided that since Eli got to battle first on the previous floor, then Atlas would get the first shot at the 2nd floor leader. As soon as Eli and Atlas had made their way across, Slowbro released his hold on the water, leaving it to splash down on the battlefield. Atlas thanked Slowbro for his contributions and returned his to his Pokeball before releasing him again on the other side. The floor leader stood tall and confidently on the platform, awaiting the challenge. He had bright, red hair and was wearing an all-white suit. He also wore a black pair of sunglasses, which didn't make much sense to Eli considering that he was inside. Atlas stepped right up and challenge the floor leader. The man laughed in a brisk voice that made Eli shiver before finally speaking up.

"If it's a challenge you want, it's a challenge you're gonna get," spoke the man. He scratched his dark beard before reaching to his pocket to pull out his Pokemon. "Weavile, I choose you!" shouted the man. A small Pokemon ruptured out of its Pokeball and landed swiftly on the ground. The Pokemon had a mean glance in its eyes, and a red crown grazed the top of his head. A yellow spot shone with light on the Pokemon's forehead, and the razor sharp claws of the foe Weavile looked ready to hack and slash through any defenses that the opponent could throw at him. Eli pulled out his PokeDex and entered the picture of Weavile into the PokeDex. Apparently, this was a combination of Dark and Ice types, making it super effective against all Psychic and Dragon types. This floor was set up in such a way that it required you to use Psychic types to get across the water, making it harder to beat the floor leader. Atlas grimaced, as he knew that he would be in a world of hurt if he didn't get going with a strategy. However, his grimace was wiped away when a sure-fire strategy wafted into his head. He needed his Slowbro to take a shot before being able to return it. The man, who identified himself as Joey, commanded his Weavile with brute force. "Weavile, use Pursuit, now!" shouted Joey. Weavile darted towards Slowbro at a blinding speed and crashed into the bulky Slowbro. Slowbro teetered on his tail to keep balance, and remained upright. Now, Atlas had the chance to counter his attack and set up his strategy.

"Slowbro, use Trick Room now!" shouted Atlas. Slowbro lifted his arms into the air and shut his eyes, sending out a wave of energy across the battlefield. Eli knew this strategy, as Atlas had talked about using it before. Trick Room made sure that the slowest Pokemon went first, enabling Slowbro, a usually slow Pokemon, to move before speedsters such as Weavile. Now, Atlas had the opportunity to move one more time before Weavile got the chance to attack. "Slowbro, use Calm Mind to boost your stats and prepare for the final blow!" shouted Atlas. The giant salamander closed his eyes one more time and seemed to fall into a pit of deep thought. Now, Weavile was left with another turn. Joey looked like he had no idea what to do. This should have been an easy win for him, with the type disadvantage and all, but it wasn't. Slowbro now had the potential to take Weavile out in 1 shot, and he had no idea where to go with his move. He knew that he had been beaten, but he decided to give it a shot anyway.

"Alright Weavile, I know that things aren't looking that great right now, but let's use Pursuit one more time!" shouted Joey. Again, Weavile darted towards Slowbro at a blinding speed and crashed into the bulky Slowbro. Slowbro took major damage, but it was not enough to knock the salamander out. Instead, Atlas now was able to waltz to victory with his next move. He looked at Slowbro, and how he was holding up against the attacks, to see if he would be able to hit Weavile with his next attack.

"Slowbro, finish this with a Focus Blast!" cried Atlas. Slowbro was greatly benefitted by Trick Room in this occasion, as Weavile would be slowed down and would not be able to avoid the attack. He reached up into the air and pulled an orb of power out of it. He then hurled the attack towards Weavile, and it made a direct hit. Weavile would not be able to walk that attack off, as he was very frail. Atlas received the key to the elevator, and was able to go up to the next floor. Now, Eli was faced with facing Joey. He already knew what Pokemon he was going to use, and he would counter with his Arcanine. Arcanine's fire type attacks would melt Weavile before he got a chance to attack, so this battle shouldn't be too much trouble. Eli hastily walked to where Atlas used to be standing, and challenged Joey to a battle. Joey quickly revived Weavile with the state-of-the art technology that the Battle Tower had invented. It allowed for revival of fallen Pokemon, but this was forbidden by the Pokemon League. If Eli ever decided to call it quits, he would exploit these machines to the fullest. Now, it was his against Joey, and Eli quickly sent out his Arcanine.

"Alright Yippers, let's go and get 'em with our special Double Team attack!" shouted Eli. Arcanine howled and made four perfect clones of himself, totaling five Arcanines. Joey went into panic mode, as he could not believe that Eli had mastered such a difficult concept. However, he needed to give his Weavile a command, no matter how desperate it may be.

"Weavile, use Low Kick on the furthest Arcanine to the left!" shouted Joey. Weavile dashed towards the chosen Arcanine and smashed his small foot into the model. It disappeared into a cloud of dust, and Eli was ready to go on the offensive. He had a new move to try out, and he had replaced Flamethrower for it. This move that Eli had taught his Arcanine focused on the Attack stat, not the Special Attack, making it more powerful for Arcanine. Without ado, Eli was ready to try it out.

"Alright, three of the Arcanines, pin Weavile down!" shouted Eli. Three Arcanines bounded towards the swift Weavile, trapping and pinning it down with ease. Now, the new part of the move would come into play. This move was extremely powerful, and with Weavile pinned down and unable to move, gave it a higher chance for a critical hit. Eli cleared his throat and smiled, as he knew that the battle was over. "Yippers, use Flare Blitz now and wipe Weavile away!" shouted Eli. Arcanine came bounding towards Weavile with his body engulfed in flames. He crashed into Weavile, sending it flying back into the wall of the room. Joey hurriedly gave Eli the key before checking on Weavile, and Eli took the opportunity to climb into the elevator and ascend up the building one more floor.

End of Chapter 60


	61. Chapter 61

Chapter 61: Challenge Failed

Eli and Atlas stormed into the elevator and ascended to the third floor, ready to take on any challenge that came their way. For this challenge floor, Eli decided to use his Bulbasaur. Bulbasaur needed some training to avoid falling behind, as he didn't want to evolve yet. Atlas opted to use his Charizard like he did on the first floor, mainly because it was his strongest Pokemon to date. To Eli, this seemed that Atlas had a lack of dimensionality on his team, only wanting to use a few select Pokemon. But to Atlas, this arena served as a testing ground to apply new strategies for his best Pokemon. Atlas had already lost a lot of Pokemon on his journey, 7 to be exact. Only two Pokemon were still with him: Slowbro and Charizard. That is why getting to the top of the tower and winning Lairon was so important. Getting another team member would serve as a massive benefit to Atlas, and it would give him more flexibility down the road on who he was allowed to add to his team. When the elevator rung out its cheery sound, indicating that it had successfully ascended to the next floor, the metal doors slid open revealing the next hurdle Eli's challenge. A maze hummed with life ahead of Eli, and he could hear screams of people inside the labyrinth, which caused him to shudder. The thought of the pain that could flood his body made him wince. However, he tried to steel himself, assuring his quavering brain that things would turn out OK. Eli looked at Atlas, who nodded at him with confidence. The two then ran into the entrance, starter Pokemon by their side. Eli took the leading position between the two of them, in desperate efforts that it would make him more confident and hide his fear from Atlas. Atlas looked calm as a cucumber, not showing even a glimmer of fear. The walls of the maze looked as if they were made of rubber, so many attacks would be deflected and sent back through the maze. Eli winded through the rubber walls, making random turns every so often. Eventually, they came to a hallway with what appeared to be the floor leader at the end of it. Eli, relieved by the closing of the maze, dashed forward as fast as he could. Unfortunatley, his left foot became snagged on a seemingly invisible tripwire, triggering the next few feet of floor to slide out from under Eli. Both he and Bulbasaur slid inside, leaving Atlas outside the brim of the trap. Atlas looked down at Eli, who was still helplessly trapped in the hole. Eli shook his head at Atlas, who was undoubtedly thinking about whether he should save Eli. Atlas seemed to understand Eli's motion, and he and his Charizard dashed off down the path. Eli looked down at his stopwatch that he had found and surveyed the time. It was still only 9 AM, and Eli and Atlas had showed up at 8 AM. At this rate, they would get 3 floors down every hour and a half. Atlas, by that math, would finish in roughly 3 and a half more hours. Until then, Eli could only dwindle away the time by talking to his Bulbasaur. Even though he couldn't understand Bulbasaur, it was still good to spend more time with him. While the two were talking, Eli began to think about potential ways to get out of the crater that they were trapped in. At first, Eli thought that Bulbasaur's vines could rescue them, but Eli's weight would cause serious damage to Bulbasaur at the least. It seemed that for the first time in his journey, Eli had been beaten by a challenge that someone could throw at him. However, Eli had to reconcile his losses and move on from the situation. The best way for him to do that right now was to wait the challenge out. As soon as someone finished, all the contestants would be freed and kicked out of the Battle Tower. Eli had tried as hard as he could, and had been taken down by a petty trap. After Eli and Bulbasaur had talked for about an hour, they decided to catch up on the sleep that they had lost the night before. Eli put his backpack down as a pillow and lay flat on his back, ready to catch up on his well-missed sleep. Bulbasaur paced over to Eli and curled up onto Eli's chest, and the two quickly fell asleep.

Eli was awoken from his deep sleep by a heavy alarm and a voice blasting out of a speaker. It announced that the challenge was over, and Atlas had taken first prize. Eli smiled before silently leaving the battle tower. He handed over the three floor keys that he had earned to the chairman stationed outside the tower. Eli thanked him for hosting the competition and walked back to the Pokemon Center. While he walked back to the Pokemon Center, he saw a large bush rustling next to the hospital. Eli quickly ran over to the bush with his Bulbasaur hot on his trail. The bush's rustling quickly ceased, and a blue horn sprung from the pace where the rustling had come from. Eli gawked at the Pokemon that had emerged from the bush. It had a large horn and bright eyes that gazed at Eli. Small wings buzzed on his back, and his fists swung back and forth, looking for enemies that may be in his path. Eli immediately flipped open his PokeDex to snag a picture of this awesome looking Pokemon. Apparently, this was known as Heracross. It was a Bug and Fighting type mix, and it was a ruthless fighter. Eli wanted this Pokemon on his team SO bad, so he sent out Arcanine to engage the fight. If Arcanine could wear Heracross down, then this would be an easy capture and a great addition to Eli's team.

End of Chapter 61


	62. Chapter 62

Chapter 62: A New Addition To The Team

Arcanine stood majestically in front of Eli, who had engaged in a battle with a wild Heracross. Eli wanted this jolly bug on his team, as it would provide an added layer of versatility to his party. Now that Arcanine had learned to deceive his opponents using Double Team, this would be the strategy that Eli would fall back on. By wearing down his opponents with Double Team, they would be easier to catch than other Pokemon. Eli pulled himself out from his deep thoughts and looked the bug Pokemon right in the eyes. Its heavy fists looked like they could perform strong attacks that could level opponents, but Eli was still not too worried about it. Eli had the opportunity to move first, so he jumped on the chance and called out his first move. "Yippers, fool this Heracross by using your signature Double Team attack!" shouted Eli. Arcanine seemed to smile as this command was given before springing into action. He snarled and displayed his white fangs before making 4 carbon copies of himself to use in the fight. Heracross looked puzzled by this move, but then seemed to calm himself and be ready to attack. Heracross dug his back foot into the ground, using it to propel himself towards the Arcanine copies at a blinding speed. Eli was amazed that Heracross could move around that fast, and it intrigued Eli even more to add this specimen to his team. Then, Heracross began to rapidly swing his fists through the air, performing the powerful fighting type move, Close Combat. He slashed his way through two of the five total Arcanines before retreating to take a break. Eli knew that this move would tire Heracross out, but his PokeDex began to beep otherwise. Eli had an app installed that would send a signal whenever an opponent's strength went up, whether it be in defense or attack. Eli noticed that this Pokemon, Heracross, had the Moxie ability. Moxie raised the attack stat of a Pokemon when it defeated another beast, making Eli's clones work against him. The more Heracross used Close Combat to knock out the clones, the more his attack would soar. On the flip side, his defense would also leave him susceptible to other attacks that a healthy Heracross could have avoided. For now, Eli had to see the changes that Heracross made as Eli continued to try to wear the bug out. Now, it was Eli's turn again and he was two clones down. The chances that Heracross could hit the real Arcanine rose by the turn, so Eli was nervous to what the outcome could be. He instilled more faith in his Pokemon and barked out another command for Arcanine. "Alright Yippers, make a triangle around Heracross and use Crunch, all at the same time!" shouted Eli. Arcanine perfectly obeyed Eli's command, making a triangle of pain around Heracross. Heracross turned from side to side, nervously surveying the field to attempt to stop the real Arcanine. However, it seemed as if the large bug could not find the one he was looking for, as the three Arcanines bashed into Heracross, inflicting a large amount of damage. Eli purposely chose to use a less powerful attack, as it would still do a large amount of damage considering the lowered defenses of Heracross. Additionally, three attacks at once would be a hard thing to walk off from, and Eli was surprised at the will and determination of the Heracross to keep fighting and taking the hard blows. Now, Heracross ran towards the line of Arcanines, but this time he was moving slower. All the damage had really racked up and it was taking the toll on his body. However, Eli was still eager to avoid the powerful and attack boosted Close Combat. Heracross swept through the last two clones of Arcanine, leaving only two Pokemon remaining on the battlefield. Arcanine looked much less majestic, as his furry complexion wheezed in and out as he struggled to stay on his feet. While Heracross now had a monster attack, his defenses were not good and he too needed rest. Now was the time to throw a Pokeball and hope that the device was able to contain the beast. He reached into his already unzipped backpack and pulled out a Pokeball from the sack. He steeled himself before hurling the ball towards Heracross at a rapid speed. The ball hit the bug's horn and he was sucked into the capsule with a flash of red light. Eli held his breath as the button on the sphere glowed once, meaning it was 33% of the way towards the capture. Again, the button glowed red and another phase of the capture had been cleared. Finally, the button glowed one more time, confirming that Heracross had been captured. Eli rejoiced and hugged his furry Arcanine, thanking him for his duty in adding a new member to the team. Eli then walked over to the Pokeball and picked the orb up. He smiled as he realized that this was only the second time that he had a full party of 6 this season. Last time, Drake the Lapras had been with him. Eli vowed not to let the same thing happen to Heracross. Eli decided to name his Heracross Citas, as it meant to live long. Hopefully, he would fulfill his name. Eli then walked into the chilled Pokemon Center after his eventful fight to earn Heracross.

After handing his Pokemon to Nurse Joy, he decided to scout out the areas in which he would travel next. Taking Route 8 to Vanadium Town seemed like the most logical way to go, as he could visit the stocked Pokemon forest that they had there, in search of a new Pokemon. If he caught one in the Pokemon Forest and Route 8, he would have backups, Arceus forbid he lost one of his Pokemon. After deciding on that route, he decided to go take a long sleep, even though it was only 3 PM. He planned to arise around 3 AM the next morning to get ready for his next route and get an early start. He willed himself to get up and go rent a dorm room from Nurse Joy. After receiving the key, he walked to the back rooms, hurled his backpack onto the chair next to the bed, and rolled onto the soft mattress where he quickly dozed off to sleep.

End of Chapter 62


	63. Chapter 63

Chapter 63: Route 8

The harsh morning sunlight sliced through the partially shaded window of the simplistic Pokemon Center dorm. Eli rubbed the sleep out of his swollen eyes and rolled out of bed, throwing the covers off the bed. He shot an angry glance over at the clock, and it read 4:07 AM. He hated himself for waking up this early, but he knew that it was for the good of his adventure. Waking up early made him stronger, both mentally and physically. He quickly changed into his clothes for the morning and swung his backpack over his shoulder. He slipped his PWT hat over his ruffled hair and walked out into the barren lobby of the Pokemon Center. He quickly retrieved his full party of 6 Pokemon and walked out the door, ready to take on the day ahead.

Even though the morning was still young, many wild Pokemon roamed the outskirts of Route 8. Eli was astounded by how much life flourished in the early morning, and it rejuvenated him. Now with his energy filled, he released his newly caught Heracross from its Pokeball and allowed it to walk alongside him. Heracross curiously examined the route ahead before leading the way through the gates and into Route 8. A stark contrast to the outskrits of Route 8, the inside held no Pokemon in site. Trees looked like they had been swung at with an axe for a long time, and all of the grass and bushes seemed out of place. Maybe it was the early morning tugging at Eli's mind, but he felt that this area had been ravaged by some beast. While Eli and Heracross walked down the grassy route, Eli tried to think of what in the world destroyed this route. Could it have been a Pokemon? If so, how powerful had it been? Eli was approaching the 7th gym soon, but there couldn't be a Pokemon that powerful yet, could there? Now disturbed, Eli walked down the path with his hands tucked neatly inside his pockets and his Heracross bounding out ahead, looking for a Pokemon to add to the team. His massive horn may have scared all of the weakling Pokemon away, but Eli also found that very unlikely. Then, Eli thought of what else could have ravaged the forest this maliciously. Only one group popped into Eli's head, but he doubted that they had anything to do with it. Surely Team Eclipse would not go after anything in the next town. They were already foiled at Mount Aurum, and Eli thought that that would be the end of them. Eli tried to erase the fear of meeting up with Team Eclipse in his mind, but it still reaped over him like a rain cloud on a sad day. However, Eli was quickly drawn out of his daze by his Heracross prodding him on the arm. Apparently, he had found something worth looking for, so Eli and Heracross both walked over to the spot the big bug had beckoned to. When Eli peeled back the vines and the shrubs that stood in the way, he found Atlas and his Lairon training together. Atlas looked weary, as if he had not slept in quite some time. His knees shook with every step, and they were more than ready to give into the fatigue that plagued the rest of his body. Worriedly, Eli jumped through the barrier and called Atlas' name. Atlas turned around, and Eli was shaken by the look on his face. Large bags were under his eyes, and it was even more obvious that he needed some sleep. His hair was matted and ruffled, and the corners of his lips drooped in exhaustion. Eli then ran over to Atlas, who fell into his arms. Eli set Atlas over by a tree and propped him up before deciding to ask any questions. As Eli was about to speak, Atlas motioned to his stomach- he needed some food, and quick. Eli commanded Heracross to go get some berries as quick as possible, and the blue bug was off in an instant. Eli then took a look around the battlefield where Atlas and Lairon had been training. Trees had craters smashed into them, and the ground had claw marks sunk into them. This looked different than the devastation that Eli had seen earlier, but it was impressive. Lairon and Atlas had bonded quickly in their short time together, and it was apparent that they would be a force to be reckoned with. Suddenly, Heracross bounded back to Eli with an armful of berries that had been freshly picked. Eli handed them to Atlas who quickly devoured the whole batch. Then, Atlas wiped off the excess food from the corners of his mouth and looked at Eli, ready to tell why he was here.

"Thanks so much Eli. I was getting a little tipsy out there. Titanium and I were out here training when we heard a massive hoard of trainers and machines moving this way. At first, I though that it would be a great training opportunity to go up against that many people. However, I was so wrong. Team Eclipse was marching through here, ready to take over Vandium Town as their new HQ. I tried to hold them off as long as possible, but it was no use. None of my Pokemon died, and I beat about 50 trainers but they just kept coming. They then lead me on a chase and I ended up here. Isaac was the main person chasing me, and he ended up catching me. He spared me for now, but told me if I was not stronger next time, that more than my Pokemon would die. So ever since yesterday afternoon, I have been out here with Titanium training," finished Atlas. Eli sat down, visibly shaken up by his story. He knew how bad it was to encounter Team Eclipse, but they had to go in the belly of the beast. Eli cleared his throat and looked Atlas in the eyes, summoning up his confidence.

"Alright Atlas, here is what we need to do. We'll lie low until we are all healed up, and then we try to sneak in Vandium Town and take out part of Team Eclipse. If something goes wrong on the inside, we keep fighting and take out as much as we can before we die. If you really need to get out, you can, but just trust your Pokemon and keep fighting if possible. I have an extra Team Eclipse uniform, so I'll sneak in and get one more for you. After that, we find out what they are doing and try to get them out. Got it?" asked Eli. Atlas nodded his head in agreement, spurring Eli to go out into the wilderness to find supplies for their raid.

End of chapter 63


	64. Chapter 64

Chapter 64: Infiltration

Eli walked towards Vandium Town's entrance dressed in his tight Team Eclipse uniform. His heart raced as the fear of getting caught stirred inside of him. He had done this once before, but his clumsiness had drawn Isaac's attention, so he would have to better. As he approached the gate, the two other Team Eclipse members that were stationed to guard the gate swung the doors open for Eli, who walked through into the city. Thankfully, Eli had made it past the first line of defense. However, as he saw what lie ahead of him, he considered turning back. Team Eclipse had turned the whole city into their portable headquarters, with large tents forming huts for the members to stay in. They even had portable showers and cooks there to supply their grunts with everything that they would need. Eli was worried about what Team Eclipse was trying to do with all of this gear, but he decided that he needed to do some recon before trying to snag another Team Eclipse uniform and get out. He noticed that all of the tents were set up in the middle of town square. In the center of the town, there was a fountain that many grunts lingered at. They all seemed to be studying one figure in the middle of the fountain. There was a small figurine molded out of cement in the town. Eli walked over to the fountain, carefully avoiding higher rank officers that may be able to divert him or smell his disguise out. When Eli reached the brim of the concrete fountain, he noticed that there was a Pokemon sitting in the middle. Eli immediately recognized this figure from reading about it. The legendary Pokemon Celebi was perched upon the fountain, and it immediately sparked Eli's mind about what Team Eclipse was after. He remembered that there was a stocked forest in town, and it was a great Pokemon refugee camp. What if Celebi guarded the forest, and Team Eclipse was trying to utilize Celebi's psychic powers for mind control like they did with Deoxys? Eli knew that there was only one way to find out, and that was to risk the plan and find the forest where he could eavesdrop on one of the officers like he did last time. He quietly turned around and looked around for the location of the forest. A hoard of Team Eclipse grunts were walking down one brick path, so Eli decided to follow them. Eli made an effort to not go too fast when he was trying to catch up to the group, as it would draw suspicion and blow his cover. So, Eli walked at only a slightly faster pace and eventually caught up to the group right as they made it to the forest. There, he managed to slip away from the rest of the pack and follow a lead officer through the forest. He confirmed Eli's suspicion of Team Eclipse trying to steal Celebi. Eli thought of how absurd the plan was, and he wondered if they would actually succeed. If they did, the whole Perodia region could easily be taken over by these goons. Hopefully, they would fail and that would be the last that Eli ever saw of them. Since his suspicion had been confirmed, he turned from eavesdropping on Team Eclipse and walked out of the forest and began his trek back from the forest to the main headquarters. While he was walking back, he began to think what Team Eclipse would be able to do with mind control. If they could take over wild Pokemon, at least the gym leaders would be able to help fend some of them off, mainly because the wild Pokemon are far weaker than the ones that trainers possess. However, if they began to capture and abduct trainers, then the whole world could be in danger. This threat could easily drain all of the regions of their gym leaders, Elite 4, and champions. Eli began to think of all the friends he had made on his journey, and how hard it would be to stop them. Atlas, his sworn rival, would be an impossible foe. Even though Eli had always been the favored child in Cobalt Town and Atlas hated him for that, Eli still would not have the guts to kill all of Atlas' Pokemon. The same would go for his parents. Having to kill his mom's Vulpix would be horrible, and having to face the old man's Tropius in Promethium Town would be difficult, as he sheltered Eli and informed him of what had happened that fateful day. Eli decided that it would be to hard to fight against Team Eclipse if their plan was successful, so they would have to thwart them before their plan had a chance to set into motion. Eli had finally made it back to the headquarters for Team Eclipse, and all he needed to do now was grab an extra uniform without getting caught. He knew a perfect place to grab an extra uniform, and it would be very comical as well. He walked by the showers where the change of clothes for the Team Eclipse member sat fresh and clean, ready to take on another day of evil. Eli swiftly walked by the shower and grabbed the freshly cleaned uniform, tucking it inside his shirt. He would be able to pass off the shirt as muscles, even though he was one of the scrawniest people he knew. He then quickly walked out of the headquarters, making his way back to Atlas outside the city. He handed him the uniform, which made a mischievous grin slide across Atlas' face. Atlas looked better than when Eli had left, which had been about an hour ago. He looked fully prepared to take on Team Eclipse, and he looked exactly like a typical Team Eclipse grunt when he put his uniform on. Both Eli and Atlas smiled at each other, ready to take down the organization that stole their colleague Isaac from their clutches. Suddenly, a siren began to sound from the city, flooding Eli's face with a look of panic. While the siren scared Eli, he knew that it would be the perfect time to rush in to the town, as all of the grunts and commanders would be in route to the forest. Atlas grabbed his Pokeballs and strapped them to his belt, as Eli and Atlas made a break for the city.

End of Chapter 64


	65. Chapter 65

Chapter 65: Rush In

Sirens wailed out their eerie cry as Eli and Atlas looked at each other. They both knew that this was the ideal time to get inside Team Eclipse's base and try to rescue Celebi from the clutches of Team Eclipse. Both Eli and Atlas put in their final piece of their disguise, their black and blue hats, as Eli slipped his pocket watch into his chest pocket. Now, the two were ready to slip into the dark confines of Team Eclipse's base.

Getting past the gates was no problem for Eli and Atlas, mainly because the guards had left their posts due to the sirens. Eli swung the rod iron gate open and held it open for Atlas before quietly shutting the door, trying to not arose suspicion. Now, Eli and Atlas needed to not arose suspicion as they made their way over to the forest. They followed suit with the rest of the grunts, who were all running as fast as they could over to the forest. Eli and Atlas secured a spot in in the middle of the pack as the thundering sound of footsteps on the cement road. Quickly, the group reached the forest where the security was stepped up majorly. Specially trained Bisharp stood outside the gates, and they would be much harder to fool than the naive grunts that Eli could sneak by with ease. The Bisharp bottlenecked the crowd so that they could carefully inspect each and every person that came through the door. Team Eclipse had stepped up their game since the last time they tried to capture a legendary. A rush of fear soaked Eli's body when he saw a poster printed in color. It read WANTED across the top, and it had Eli's picture from the Neon City tournament pasted on the filmy paper. Eli knew that these Bisharp would be smart enough to track down Eli if he showed any reaction to this sign. If Eli steeled himself, he may be able to slip by and wreak some havoc. Eli's hand clenched up in nervousness, but it was calmed when Atlas leaned to Eli and helped him contain his nerves. Now, Eli was beckoned up by the Bisharp. They prodded him with their swords to feel for any items that Eli would try to smuggle in. Then, they looked up at the gate in front if Eli and let him pass. Eli let loose a sigh of relief after he was inside the forest, but he was not able to relax for long, as he was swept into the traffic. He tagged along with a group of grunts as they walked into another heavily guarded area. This time, there was a large cage sitting in the middle of a swarm of grunts. Eli finessed his way to the front of the crowd only to see one small, green Pokemon inside. Celebi, the guardian of the forest, had been successfully caged by the evil wits of Team Eclipse. The green beast looked worriedly at the metal bars that glistened in the patched sunlight. It tried to use various attacks to punch through the barrier that held it away from the forest, but all of the attacks did nothing. The monster from the forest held all the power that Team Eclipse needed to take over the Perodia Region. It seemed that Eli and Atlas were too late, and that Team Eclipse had gotten what they had strived for. There was no way that Eli and Atlas could fight off the massive number of Team Eclipse grunts alone- they needed help that they didn't have at the moment. Even if the full Cobalt Team Crew was together, there was no way that they could beat Team Eclipse alone. They needed the help of another legendary Pokemon, just like Deoxys had helped Eli last time they had encountered Team Eclipse. A lump began to form in Eli's throat, and a tear trickled down his face. He was sure that this would give him away, but he didn't even care anymore. It was over. There was no way to stop the juggernaut that Team Eclipse had created now. Not even they could contain their power. Eli felt that the whole world was gazing down at him, and that he had failed them all. His hands clenched and a fire began to grow inside of him. He had failed, but he would not let Team Eclipse rule the world. At least, not over his dead body. He peeled his Team Eclipse hat off, and turned around towards the rest of the grunts standing there. Few recognized him at first, but his identity quickly spread throughout the crowd. All 300 grunts reached for their Pokeballs, ready to fight Eli at any cost. Eli ran his hand through his matted hair, as he knew that their was no way out of this fight. He then pulled the Team Eclipse uniform off of his slim body, with his Pokemon World Tournament shirt showing now. Now, more help came that Eli needed. A large, red Pokemon bounded through the forest and caused many Team Eclipse grunts to back up in fear. Eli knew this Pokemon, as it was also a legendary. Eli was surprised at how many legendarys had shown up in defense of the guardian of the forest. Eli thought htat it made sense, as Celebi took care of these Pokemon's homes. Entei, the same fiery beast that had ended the other boy's journey from Cobalt Town, had arrived to help Eli. Now, Eli felt even more determined. However, Eli's determination was broken by a loud rumbling under the ground. A Pokemon and its trainer popped up from the ground below Eli. Eli quickly recognized the Pokemon, Excadrill. It was an extremely powerful Pokemon who was Steel and Ground Type. Eli also knew who the trainer was that was standing prominently by the Excardill. He was the champion of the Perodia Region, and he was the help, along with Entei, that Eli needed.

End of Chapter 65


	66. Chapter 66

Chapter 66: Striking Down on Eclipse

The majestic beast Entei stood in front of Eli, who was only one of the threats that faced Team Eclipse right now. Eli stood behind Entei, ready to use all of his Pokemon to drive Team Eclipse out of the city. Also, the champion of the Perodia Region, Clarence, stood to the right of Eli, and he looked ready to power through at least half of Team Eclipse's force. Many of the grunts quavered and began to back up, but a commanding voice seemed to push the force forward to help them get their confidence among them. Isaac, who was wearing a white and blue Team Eclipse uniform, stood out from the rest of the crowd. He smirked at the group that had formed to stop his squadron, and pointed a finger at Eli. The others looked toward Eli with disbelief, as many didn't know that Eli and Isaac had shared so many close encounters. Instead of fretting like the last time that he had encountered Isaac with Team Eclipse, Eli stood strong and returned the venomous glare towards his former partner and member of the Cobalt Town Crew. Then, Isaac walked to the front of the crowd, his pawns parting like the sea for the legendary Pokemon Lugia. He cleared his throat and sparred out at Eli in a raspy voice.

"Well, well, well. Look who we have here. My old ally Eli and his cast of wanna be heroes. We have Clarence, the champion of the Perodia Region and my old friend Atlas as well. My, how much you have grown under the sunlight of honesty. However, under the shadows of Team Eclipse, I have surged to a level that none of you can handle. Not even the legendary Pokemon Entei can stop us now. I fear that if you fools decide to attack us, then we may have to destroy Celebi in the process. Now, I suggest that you give up your Pokemon and get out of here as quick as possible," taunted Isaac. Eli winced as he thought of the legendary guardian of the forest, Celebi, dying under Eli's foolish plans. He considered just handing over his Pokemon and leaving, as Team Eclipse had strength in numbers here. Even with the champion here to help, even with Entei here, it would still be a long shot. They would be fortunate to wipe out half of Team Eclipse's army, and even that would be a stretch. Upon further thought, Eli knew that Team Eclipse would not willfully kill Celebi, because this legendary Pokemon, as sick as it was, is only a pawn in Team Eclipse's final plan. Eli could tell that they had bigger things planned, and that they needed to be stopped before things got out of hand. Eli, Atlas, Clarence, and Entei could put a lot of water in Team Eclipse's boat, and that needed to be their goal. Even if they all went down, then they had done as much as they could have. Eli looked at Atlas and Clarence, who both had run through the same thought process as Eli. They nodded their heads and reached for their Pokeballs, and Eli did the same. There was now only one way to get out of this situation. Either Eli and his squad fought until Team Eclipse retreated, or they all lost their Pokemon while holding them off. Eli reached for his Arcanine, but called a last minute audible and grabbed the Ultra Ball that held Heracross. He knew that Team Eclipse used a lot of dark types, so Heracross should be able to sweep through a large portion just by continuing to use Close Combat and Brick Break. If Eli combined that with the Moxie boost that Heracross would receive for beating the weaker grunt Pokemon, this would be the perfect lead for Eli. Eli sent out the blue bug as Clarence sent out his beastly Breloom. Breloom was a combination of grass and fighting types, meaning it was geared up to hit hard fast. Eli had heard about the powerful Mach Punch that Breloom could throw, and it would be enough to level a lot of Team Eclipse's force. Atlas opted for his Lairon, named Titanium, so he could try to get a little stronger with this metal behemoth. Entei would use himself, of course, but he was easily stronger than all of the Pokemon out on the field right now. His massive fire type attacks could level many of the grunts out on the field right now, and Entei was definitely a force to be reckoned with. With Heracross, Breloom, Entei, and Lairon out on the field, Eli and the gang were ready to take on Team Eclipse at any cost. Clarence started off using Mach Punch, his Breloom's signature move. Breloom darted through the crowd of various dark type Pokemon, impaling his rough fists into the sides of the evil Pokemon, sending them crashing onto the soft grass below them. Eli was astonished at the speed of Breloom as it continued to knock out countless Pokemon with ease. Eli realized that this was what separated trainers like Eli from the champion. This was not the best Pokemon the champion had, but it still was able to wither down Team Eclipse this easy. Breloom then returned to Clarence's side, still heaving after taking down almost 20 Pokemon. However, the Pokemon that had been killed were just replaced by other grunts, nullifying the work that Breloom had just done. All that work, for nothing. This battle would be much tougher than Eli thought, and it would require all 6 of his Pokemon at full potential.

End of Chapter 66


	67. Chapter 67

Chapter 67: Teaming Up

"Guys, we have to all attack together if we want to take them down," pressed Clarence, who had just sent his Breloom into the confines of the Team Eclipse brigade, only to have it return winded and the effects nullified. Both Eli and Atlas knew that this was true, but it would be very difficult to control all 6 of their Pokemon at once. It would be akin to trying to keep multiple balloons off of the ground at once, which was a difficult task. Eli already had his Heracross out, but the jolly bug would need a lot of assistance if he wanted to be able to walk after this battle. Eli reached for his belt where his Pokeballs resided and pulled out two more Pokemon, Dragonair and Arcanine, to join the battle. Arcanine would be extremely beneficial in this fight, as Eli could have 10 clones of the furry dog out at once to help him out. Dragonair possessed a wide range of attacks that were capable of leveling the field in a short amount of time, making him a primed contender for this fight. He unleashed the monsters from their Pokeballs and equipped for battle, as Atlas sent out his Charizard to help the fight. Eli knew that Atlas did not have the queue of Pokemon available that Eli did, so sending over half of his available pool out was a large risk. Clarence now sent out his Excadrill, which was his prized and most famous Pokemon. Even though this battle would be a lot of work for Eli, he looked forward to seeing Excadrill in action. Eli decided to take matters into his own hands first, and to lead the charge against Team Eclipse. He steeled his quaking nerves before plotting his battle strategy to use against these thugs.

"Yippers, go for a Double Team now and make as many clones as you can!" shouted Eli. Arcanine growled at the hoard of enemies in front of him before quickly multiplying himself in the blink of an eye. Before Eli knew it, there were 9 copies of Arcanine out in front of him, and they were all at full force. Many of the Team Eclipse grunts groaned, as this was a combination that haunted them from there last encounter on Aurum Mountain. Now that Arcanine was all set up, Eli turned to Dragonair to set up his second line of defense. "Alright Buddy, your job is to use Outrage on anyone who decides to attack the real Arcanine. Eat your Lum Berry if you get confused, and keep fighting through all the attackers. Now, Citas, use Brick Break and blow through as many opponents as possible. Use your Moxie boost to keep you going, and when you need a break, I will switch you out. Go get 'em guys!" shouted Eli. The 9 fake Arcanines bounded into the crowd, igniting screams throughout the crowd. The Arcanines used Flare Blitz to dash through the opponents and level them, creating a brigade of flames. Any opponent that was not leveled by the first Arcanine would be hit down to critical level by the second Arcanine, who was followed by a third who ensured a knock-out. Three different strands of dogs ran across the sea of Team Eclipse members, forming in three columns of three. Meanwhile, the real Arcanine was working to keep his energy at a stable level. Controlling the 9 clones was a mighty task, and if Dragonair was not there alongside him, then Arcanine may have died. Dragonair continued to fight for his partner's life, and he piled up the experience from it as well. Eli knew that Dragonair was close to evolving, and this would certainly help. Finally, Heracross was following in the wake of one of the Arcanine brigades, smashing his powerful fists into the rest of the Pokemon that had dodged the stream of fire. Eli saw that all his Pokemon were doing OK, so he looked over to Clarence's Pokemon to see how they were doing. Breloom continued to smash through enemy forces, but Eli could tell that his time was definitely limited. All these attacks were taking a major toll on his body, so it would be wise for Clarence to return him soon. On the other hand, Excardill was handling hundreds of opponents at once. Clarence's Excadrill was a physical behemoth, and it stood at almost 9 feet tall, which was much taller than other Excadrills. The powerful mole attacked by diving under the surface using dig and jumping back up under a cluster of enemies. The beast also used Hyper Beam many times, as it wiped through forces before they could recover. Entei was also putting on a marvelous show, as the beast shot white-hot columns of fire through the crowd. Atlas was also showing how powerful his Pokemon were, as his Charizard terrorized a Hydreigon in the sky, sniping him with beams of fire and throwing Mega Punches at him with his powerful arms. Team Eclipse was taking a beating from all these Pokemon, and Isaac called for a retreat. He called it in through a headset that was tucked under his hood, and the faint sound of helicopter blades sounded in the distance. Many of the grunts ran back on their own, but the admins and leaders all huddled into one place. In a matter of moments, a black and blue helicopter descended from a gap in the massive trees, blasting air into the all the caverns of the forest. All the Team Eclipse officials boarded the helicopter, except Isaac. He looked back at Eli and Atlas, pointed at them with his pale hand, and climbed into the helicopter. The helicopter gradually ascended before shooting out of the forest after reaching the desired altitude. Eli and Atlas looked at each other before looking together at Entei. The legendary beast howled into the forest before prying his flaming jaws into the cage that still held Celebi. The metal melted away and the small beast flew out. Then Entei, who had just saved the forest in many ways, bounded off into the forest leaving Clarence, Eli, and Atlas standing there dumbfounded. Clarence thanked the two boys from Cobalt Town for their help and left. Eli thanked Atlas, who then flew out of the forest on his Charizard. Fatigue now gripped at the legs of Eli, who desperately wanted to rest for the rest of the day. He called out his Alakazam who used Teleport to send Eli and his companions back to the Pokemon Center.

End of Chapter 67


	68. Chapter 68

Chapter 68: Free Pokemon?

Eli hobbled out of the dorm of the Pokemon Center, his body wailing from the fatigue after the marvelous events from yesterday. Eli was hardly able to keep his eyes open after yesterday, and only the loud noises from the lobby had awakened him. He was half angry at the mob for waking him up, but he was also pleased that he would not dwindle away half the day sleeping. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes with his balled fists to see what all the commotion was. Someone had set up a stand that had a large sign hanging over it labeled 'FREE POKEMON'. Eli recognized Atlas at the stand, and he was sifting his way through the tub of Pokeballs, looking for someone he would want to add to his team. Judging by the mob surrounding the stand, there was most likely some pretty cool Pokemon in there. Eli set his fatigue aside for the moment and ran towards the crowd. Before he could get to the mob, Atlas stopped him outside the crowd and handed him a Pokeball. Atlas looked worn, just like Eli, but apparently he had a gift for Eli. Before Eli could ask what was contained inside the orb, Atlas pushed his soft voice above the crowd.

"Inside this Pokeball contains the Pokemon Eevee. As both you and I know, Eevee has 7 different Pokemon that he can evolve into. However, I think it would be cool if we both had Eeveelutions that were the opposite of each other, just like our starters. I know that I want Vaporeon, so I guess that you have the option to choose either Leafeon or Jolteon. I have a water stone right here, so I am all set to go. I know that there is a Mossy Rock that you can use to level up your Eevee near on the next route, Route 6, to get a Leafeon. Leafeon, as the name sounds, is a Grass type and it would be super effective to my Vaporeon. However, I have no idea where to get a Thunderstone to get a Jolteon, who is also really effective against Vaporeon as well. At the end of the day, you can evolve your Eevee into anything that you want, so go for it. I gotta run, as I am heading off towards the 7th gym in Iridium Town. It specializes in Fire types, and the gym leader is one tough cookie. She uses a Typhlosion, a Darmanitan, and an Arcanine. I know that this will be a tough battle for you, as she uses Arcanine, but I know that you can beat her. Good luck Eli," finished Atlas, who plopped the Pokeball on his belt and walked out of the sliding glass doors of the Pokemon Center. Eli's head now rang from the commotion, and he decided that he should pack up his stuff and get the heck out of there. He walked out of the Pokemon Center lobby, slid open the door with the brass key that he had in his hand, and swiftly packed up all of his stuff in his room. As he packed up all of his stuff, he came upon one problem. Now, with the addition of Eevee, he had 7 Pokemon in his party. He already knew that he wanted to keep his original 5, Bulbasaur, Arcanine, Dragonair, Crobat, and Alakazam, so it was down to Heracross and Eevee. Both would be great partners to have alongside in Eli's journey, and there was no question that Heracross would pummel Eevee in a fight, but Eli decided that it would be unfair to measure it in that sense. Heracross had already had so much more training time than Eevee, and the small dog could still evolve into 7 different potential Pokemon. Eli opted to go with the potential as apposed to the face value, as he could always revert on his decision at a later time. Before he left, there was one thing that he needed to do. He unleashed Heracross from his Pokeball and smiled as the big blue bug flexed his hexed muscles. Heracross' ambitious expression softened when he saw the saddened look on Eli's face. Eli had Heracross sit down on the bed which had just been made as Eli prepared to break the bad news to the cheery Pokemon.

"Hey Citas, glad to see you again. Unfortunatley, I have some bad news for you. I just got a new Pokemon, and I have to make a decision on who to keep here. You probably see where this is going by now, and let me tell you why you are staying. I don't want to lose you. I have lost too many Pokemon on my journey, and I don't intend to lose you. I can always call you back out when I need to, so I'm not leaving you behind. I will miss you, but I need to leave you here. Is that OK Citas?" asked Eli. Heracross, cheery as usual, cried out in agreement, showing that he would be just fine with that decision. Eli was relieved at the reaction and summoned Heracross back into his Pokeball. Then, the orb became a liquid and was sucked into the air, which would later go to the storage system that he could draw from earlier. Eli was now ready to venture down Route 6, which would lead him towards new adventure.

End of Chapter 68


	69. Chapter 69

Chapter 69: Route 6

The bright morning sun shone into Eli's eyes as he ventured outside of the city limits, his Eevee walking alongside him. After he had boxed his Heracross back in Vandium Town, he had let his small dog out of his Pokeball and looked into a nickname for the Pokemon. He had decided that JJ would be a good name for Eevee, as it just had a great flow to it. Eevee walked out in front of Eli, as he sniffed out all of the scents that previous Pokemon had left behind. Eli had his hands balled in his pockets as he walked down the worn road, looking into the seemingly desolate wilderness that was held before him. The tall, thick oak trees danced along the edges of the road, while colorful flowers popped out of every hole that the grass did not occupy. While Eli walked, he began to think of all the possibilities that Eevee could evolve into. If he evolved his Eevee into a Vaporeon, it would hold the advantage over Atlas' Charizard. Having that advantage was crucial to Eli, as no other Pokemon on his team held that advantage at the moment. However, that also meant that his eeveelution would be at a stalemate with Atlas' and that was no good either. If Eli took the easy option and veered off into the forest looking for the Mossy Rock, then Eli would garner an advantage over Atlas' Vaporeon, but Leafeon would be weak to Charizard, making a huge problem for Eli. Additionally, the addition of Leafeon would mean that there would be 2 grass type Pokemon on Eli's team, and that would not promote balance on his team. Flareon could be an option if Eli didn't have Arcanine, and Alakazam would make Espeon useless. Now, there were only 3 Eeveelution left that Eli could choose from. Umbreon would be able to counter psychic types that would look to exploit the weakness in Bulbasaur, but Umbreon was also not a very strong attacker. He would be in it for the long haul, but he would not be able to hit with vengeance. Glaceon, the Ice type Eeveelution, would be able to his Dragons hard, which was always a plus for Eli. However, he could not do much else besides that . Plus, with the fire-type gym on the horizon, Glaceon would struggle and fall behind the rest of the team. Jolteon, that last option for an Eeveelution, was Eli's leading candidate so far. Not only would he smash Vaporeon, but he would also benefit from being super-effective to Atlas' Charizard. He would also provide good coverage against water types that could take out Arcanine, and he could also be fast enough to outrun most threats. Eli decided that if he could find a Thunderstone, then Jolteon would be the newest addition to his team. Eli was pulled out of his deep train of thought when he tripped over Eevee, who had stopped in the middle of the road for seemingly no reason at all. Eli swore under his breath before getting up and brushing the dust off of his shirt. He gave Eevee a weird look before looking down to where it had stopped. There was a small bump in the middle of the road, and it looked as if there was an item that was buried just under the surface. Eli looked at Eevee and nodded at him, signaling for him to find what the item was. Eevee then proceeded, in typical dog fashion, to dig as fast as he could to unearth the item as fast as he could. When he was about to reach the tip of the item, a flash of light escaped from the ground underneath him. Eevee then disappeared inside the hole, and Eli looked down in despair. Had he already lost the Pokemon that was given to him just an hour later? Eli peeled back the lump that Eevee was digging out and discovered a pool of purple mist. Black figures floated around the in abyss, and Eli was intrigued by where Eevee had gone. Eli reached his hand into the purple mist and was warped into an alternate world, where his consciousness seemed to drift away from him for a matter of moments before coming back to him, just like the tide on a beach. The world around him still looked empty, and Eli could only see a few feet in front of him. But, as Eli walked, the world seemed to materialize in front of him. He could hear the faint cry of Eevee in the distance, and he followed the sound in the distance. As he spent more time in this creepy, eerie land, his eyes became more accustomed to the fog. He could now see further than when he just entered the world. Eli could not tell if it was that his eyes were getting more used to the fog that plagued this land, or if there was a force that was pulling strings, allowing him to see further. Eli then saw the silhouette of Eevee in the distance, and ran towards it as fast as he could right as he was about to grab Eevee in his arms, the small dog pounced onto the wall in front of them and swiftly scaled the wall. Eli was extremely shocked. Was he really seeing that right? He wondered if it was the swiftness of Eevee that had done that, or if it was a different style of gravity in this world. Eli decided that there was only one way to find out, and he lay down on the ground, on his back, with his feet on the wall. He took a step forward with his foot, and his body was lifted off the ground. At first, Eli went slow and steady to try and scale the wall. However, by the end of the wall, he was in a full sprint. He then was able to return his Eevee into his Pokeball, and continue to explore the world. As he explored the world, it seemed extremely desolate. The walkway, unlike the one in the world that Eli was familiar with, was very narrow. Off to either side was a deep, dark void that seemed to go on for no end. Eli had no idea how to get out of this world, but that thought quickly drifted away from him when he came across a Wartortle lying on the ground. It looked like it had once been a very strong Wartortle, but now it was weak. Its shell looked softened and his arms and legs looked beaten. He was not in good shape, no doubt. The more Eli stared at it, the more it looked familiar. Suddenly, Eli came to a realization. This was not the normal world that he was used to. This was the Distortion World. Girantina had brought him here, and for good reason. The legendary Pokemon knew the dangers of Team Eclipse and the destruction that they could cause. Girantina knew that Eli was aware of this, but that he did not know of it to the fullest extent. Eli had realized that this was no ordinary Wartortle. This one belonged to Isaac.

End of Chapter 69


	70. Chapter 70

Chapter 70: Growing Up Alone

Eli awoke with no sunlight in his eyes this time. Darkness had already plagued them so much today, that he doubted that they would ever see the same sunlight again. Eli's body reeked of physical exhaustion, and his mind was sore as well. Seeing Isaac's dead Wartortle really hit home how evil Team Eclipse was, and it scared Eli more than it determined him to beat Team Eclipse down. The night glinted down on the gravel road that Eli was collapsed on, and Eli had no idea where he was. The Distortion World held true to its name, as Eli's mind felt warped like many hours had passed in a matter of minutes. Eli judged by the moon that the road ran north to south, and that he was not in a city. This path seemed to be right in the middle of a forest, and trees covered almost every inch of grass in the area. While admiring the trees, Eli felt the sense of déjà vu. Eli remembered feeling this thought before, and it began to spur the gears in his brain to think. He remembered his encounter with Team Eclipse in the Pokemon Forest, and him putting Heracross in the PC. Eli also remembered obtaining his Eevee, and having it out in this location: Route 6. Suddenly, after realizing where he was, he noticed the presence (or lack thereof) of his newest Pokemon, Eevee. He panicked while looking around the gravel path for his normal type friend, but the evolution Pokemon seemed nowhere to be found. Eli was about to give up on his search when a large flash of light came erupting from the hollows of the forest. He quickly swung by his spot where he woke up and grabbed his backpack, flipped it onto his back, and ran into the forest where the flash of light originated.

Large tree trunks made the path to the light very treacherous for Eli, as the threat of a sprained ankle or torn ligament kept popping in and out of his head. He felt like a ninja as he bounced from the tree trunk to tree trunk, slicing through the husky forest. While he dodged the hidden limbs in the forest, his imagination began to wander and he thought of the things that could have happened to Eevee. Could Eevee have died from a freak accident that caused the flash of light? The only attacks that would have caused an explosion would be Hyper Beam, Expolsion, and Thunder, and all of those attacks could easily wipe out Eevee. Tears began to form in Eli's eyes when he thought of him arriving and finding Eevee, lying prone on the ground, with no life left inside of him. However, this was not the worst thought that Eli had thought about Eli. Eli wondered if Team Eclipse had gotten to Eevee in an effort to puncture Eli, as he had been a pest to Team Eclipse all along. This would seem like something that Team Eclipse would do, but the whole idea seemed unlikely to Eli. If Team Eclipse had tracked Eli all the way here, and found his Eevee, then they would have already been able to take over the world already. The thought was thrown out of Eli's eyes when he came to the site where he had seen the blast. At the site, there were three Pokemon fighting each other. There were two Electabuzz standing next to each other, and both of them looked worn and heavy. On the other side of the battlefield, there stood a Jolteon who was engaged in a fight with these two Pokemon. It seemed odd that these two electric type Pokemon would attack one, as electric types usually had a certain brotherhood about them which caused peace between them. Eli began to think why two Electric types would attack another, especially one with the ability Volt Absorb. The more Eli began to think about the battle, the more the cogs began to turn inside his head. What if one of the Pokemon on the battlefield was not an electric type once? What if the white light had been from an evolution of the Pokemon on the field? Eli knew that Electabuzz evolved from Elekid, so those would still be electric types. However, Jolteon could not have always been a Jolteon. He may have stepped on a Thunderstone during the battle, causing him to evolve. Jolteon could easily be Eli's Eevee. Jolteon was waiting on the pair of Electabuzz to fight, and both of them took the opportunity to do so. They both swooped in with their fists engulfed in electricity. Eli knew this move, as Atlas had used it with his Machoke at times. This move was Thunderpunch, and it was a good physical attack for Electabuzz. However, Jolteon did not move a muscle and absorbed all the power in the punches using his Volt Absorb ability. These electric type attacks would heal his health and supercharge his electric type attacks, making him one tough Pokemon to deal with. Now, Jolteon fired back a super-charged Thunderbolt attack that managed to hit both of the enemies that lied in front of him. Even though the attacks weren't very effective, they managed to knock out both of the Electabuzz without breaking a sweat. Jolteon then calmed down from the heat of battle and began to sit down and lick his paws. It was then that Eli stood up from behind the bushes, which drew Jolteon's attention. Jolteon then snapped back into his attacking stance. Eli looked at Jolteon before trying to soothe him.

"Remember me JJ? It's Eli. You look so cool JJ! You also looked very tough in that battle," complimented Eli, who was trying to calm Jolteon down. Jolteon eased up a little bit and tilted his head to the side, his eats flopping down. Jolteon then came dashing towards Eli and jumped into his arms, curling up in relief. Eli laughed and pulled out his PokeDex, locating where he was using the built-in GPS. He then walked to the next city, Iridium Town, where he would be ready to battle Carrie, the fire type gym leader.

End of Chapter 70


	71. Chapter 71

Chapter 71: Taking on Carrie

Nurse Joy was certainly surprised to have a Pokemon trainer stumble into the lobby of the red-roofed building with a Jolteon at three in the morning. Even though it was three in the morning, bags still had not began to show under Eli's eyes. Eli hardly spoke to Nurse Joy, as she was more fatigued and restless at three in the morning then he was. Eli grabbed a room key to the third room from Nurse Joy and exited the lobby, where he immediately went back to his room, opened the door, and fell into his bed. He wondered if he should go back to Nurse Joy and have her heal his Pokemon, but he decided against it. He was too tired for it this morning, and he opted to just toss his backpack aside and have Jolteon go to turn off the light. Before he knew it, he was already asleep after the hectic events of the day. While Eli was lying in bed, he wondered about many things. First off, he wondered if Isaac had any regrets about joining Team Eclipse. He sure as heck didn't show it, but Eli had a feeling that Isaac wanted to revert to hos old ways, on the days when he was able to freely roam the lands of Perodia with his Pokemon. Eli had a strong feeling that Isaac would rather be in the Cobalt Town Crew, which was now diminished to two members, Eli and Atlas. Sarah had been defeated, and she only had her Raichu left. Atlas and Sarah had talked about why she quit, and it was mainly to keep her Raichu with her. She had shared great memories with the little mouse, and it was in her best interests to keep it around. She had won enough prize money for her liking, and she was now free to pursue her entrepreneurial interests that she had always dreamed of. Thinking of Sarah lead him back around to Isaac, as he had always had a crush on her since they had lived in Cobalt Town. Eli wondered if Isaac missed Sarah, as he surely had not found anyone else in the Team Eclipse camp. Eli decided to change his thoughts away from Isaac, as it only kept him awake longer. He then shifted his thought process to the upcoming battle that he had with Carrie, the 7th gym leader in the Perodia Region. From what Atlas had told him, Carrie was the Fire type Gym Leader in the Perodia Region, and she had an Arcanine with her. This would be a good test for Eli, as he would be able to pit his Arcanine against hers in a direct matchup. This would be a quirky gym for Eli, mainly because he would not be able to use his Bulbasaur, and he was falling behind in levels. Right now, he was the second weakest on the team, right behind Jolteon, who had just evolved. Hopefully, Eli would be able to use his Bulbasaur a lot more in the future. Until then, he would just have to stick with using the other 5 Pokemon on his team. He figured that he would start the battle with Dragonair, who knew both Surf and Aqua Jet. Dragonair also resisted the attacks that the fire type Pokemon could throw at him, so it was a win-win situation for Eli. Also, Dragonair was close to evolving. Having the potential for a Dragonite would be a huge addition to his team. Eli's second choice would probably be Arcanine, as it would cancel out Carrie's Arcanine. Finally, Eli would need a counter for Carrie's Darmanitan. This would be a tough one to predict for Eli, as he had no idea if the Darmanitan would be in Zen Mode or not. If the Pokemon changed to Zen Mode in the middle of the battle, it would become a whole different problem. Eli knew how powerful a Darmanitan could be, as it was a physical Pokemon that had a very diverse moveset. Eli decided that he would know for sure when he challenged Carrie in the morning, so it was a good idea to roll over and get some sleep for now. Eli drifted off to sleep, ready for all the challenges that could be thrown at him tomorrow.

Eli arose in the morning without an alarm for the first time in quite a while. When he looked at the clock, he was surprised to see that it read 10 o'clock in the morning. That meant that he had slept less than 7 hours, but it was late nonetheless. Eli pushed the comforter aside and rolled out of bed, his Jolteon still lingering in the warmth of the covers. Eli decided to let him sleep a little but more and got up to get ready. He combed his hair and brushed his teeth before changing his clothes. He then went back to the bed to pack his backpack and wake up Jolteon, who promptly returned to his Pokeball for the walk to the gym. Eli walked out of the dorm room and locked the door behind him before taking the back entrance out of the Pokemon Center. He walked out of the door and made the short jaunt over to the Pokemon Center. He then pushed open the door and walked inside the gym. He was stunned by the visuals that he saw inside of the gym. There was stone floors that burned Eli's feet ever through the soles of his shoes, and there were pools of lava surrounding the battlefield. Eli also saw a small pile of rocks going about 15 feet high, and it was much to the interest of Eli. This pillar would not be here unless Carrie needed it, so it would be important for Eli to gain control of it. Eli also saw Carrie at the other end of the room, and her Typhlosion standing next to her. Carrie knew what Eli was here for, and she stepped onto her podium, and Eli did the same. Eli reached for his Pokeball, and sent his Dragonair onto the field. Carrie pointed for he Typhlosion to do the same, and the battle had begun.

End of Chapter 71


	72. Chapter 72

Chapter 72: Doused Fire

Eli and Carrie stood deadlocked at the opposite sides of the battlefield, ready to engage in battle with each other for the 7th Gym Badge. Carrie's Typhlosion stood on its back legs on her side, while Eli's Dragonair stood at the other end of the field, coiled up and ready for a fight. Eli could judge by the expression on Carrie's face that this would be a tough matchup for her, as most of Typholison's attacks would do little damage to Dragonair. Eli knew that Typhlpsion came out as a singular attacker, and it probably carried Thunderpunch to combat water types that could possibly go after it. However, this attack would not do much good against a Pokemon like Dragonair, who would resist the attack. The only problem was that if Dragonair evolved into Dragonite while Typhlosion was still active, then that Thunderpunch would do a lot more damage. Eli decided to set the tempo by making the first move, so he pointed across the field and looked towards Carrie's Typhlosion.

"Alright Buddy, go after that Typhlosion using Aqua Jet!" shouted Eli. Dragonair swiftly uncoiled his body and sprang towards Typhlosion, a wake of water surrounding and conforming to his body. Dragonair smashed into the large chest of Typhlosion before using the Fire type Pokemon as a spring board and bouncing back towards Eli. This type of a battle was right in Eli's wheelhouse, as it permitted him to use a series of quick, super-effective attacks and dodge any disasters that his opponent could throw at him. Eli was confident that he would trample Typhlosion easily, but the tides could easily turn in this battle if Carrie's Typhlosion had any curveball moves that Eli may not be expecting. Carrie winced when she saw what Eli could do in one move to her Typhlosion, and added that it was a priority move, it made Carrie worry even more. However, if Carrie wasn't able to win against these tough opponents, then she had no justification to run the gym. She needed to put her money where he mouth is and make a risky move. There was one move that her Typhlosion knew that may be enough to override Eli's momentum, but it had the potential to severely injure her Typhlosion. Last time that she tried the move, her Typhlosion had to be rushed into the Emergency Room. She wondered if it was worth it. This move was Overheat, and it was usually a safer move for other Pokemon. However, her Typhlosion tended to lose control over its attacks, causing it to over exhaust the energy it uses. So, on a move that already drains a Pokemon's energy like Overheat, it would cause Typhlosion's insides to literally burn up. Last time the attack was almost fatal, so Carrie was discouraged from using it again. Her other options for moves would be Flamethrower, Thunderpunch, and Focus Blast. Carrie would have to bite the bullet and attack Dragonair using Focus Blast, which was not exactly ideal. Focus Blast often missed its target, and with a sneaky, evasive Pokemon like Dragonair, this attack was even less likely to hit. Eli truly had the upper hand in this fight. Now, Carrie lifted her head and called out to her Typhlosion.

"Alright Typhlosion, go get 'em using Focus Blast!" cried Carrie. Typhlosion lifted his right arm up into the air and withdrew a brown ball of energy from the air before hurling it like a baseball pitcher towards Dragonair. However, Dragonair was far too quick to be hit by that kind of attack, and the serpent slithered out of the way to avoid the powerful Fighting type attack. Typhlosion winced when he missed, as he knew that he might not be able to absorb the damage from more attacks like Aqua Jet. Typhlosion was stuck in a bad situation, and it would certainly not be good for him to lost control of his energy again. Focus Blast was a great attack for Typhlosion, both mentally and physically, as it made him keep control of his energy to keep the orb of power in tact. However, Typhlosion would have to wait another turn to get a shot at Dragoniar. Now, it was Eli's turn to bash Typhlosion.

"Ready for this one Buddy? Go after Typhlosion using your Surf attack!" shouted Eli. Dragonair jumped from his coiled perch up into the air, causing his horn to glow an off-white color. Then, a giant tide of water came crashing towards Typhlosion. The fiery beast rolled out of the way of the first crash of water, but was snuffed out by the second crash of water. The massive tide flooded most of the molten lave that was clumped together on the battlefield, making the area significantly darker. This would play to Eli's advantage, as his Dragonair could coil around its foes. However, some light still made it through the shroud of water, making the area dimly lit. Typhlosion was no doubt down for the count, but there was still one last event left to happen in this battle. A large light shone out across the battlefield, shining out and blinding Eli for a moment. Eli knew what was happening, and he had hoped for this to happen for quite a long time. This new Pokemon would be much harder to snuff out, as it would be much stronger and versatile. Plus, it would be able to fly out above other opponents. Dragonair's once long and thin complexion now thickened, and it grew wings on its now thicker back. Arms sprouted out of the sides of the thick torso, and claws began to grow from those paws that had formed. Legs also formed, adding on to the mobility of the Pokemon. Finally, a large head formed and the horn migrated from the torso of the Pokemon to the head. The evolution of the Pokemon was completed. Dragonite was finally here.

End of Chapter 72


	73. Chapter 73

Chapter 73: A Dragon Emerges

Dragonite sat majestically in front of Eli, who was just as surprised as Carrie was at the moment. She knew that even if Eli had not had the upper hand before, that he sure as heck had the upper hand now. Dragonite was a Pokemon that was still talked about for its power, even though it was discovered long ago. Eli knew how powerful that this Pokemon would be for Eli on his team, and how much of a threat his enemies would face from here on out in his journey. Dragonite now hovered above the field, flapping with his tiny wings waiting for Carrie to make her next move. Firstly, she summoned her Typhlosion back into its Pokeball. Then, she had a decision to make. She had 2 Pokemon left on her team, and both of them could do little damage to Dragonite. Her best hope was to wear Dragonite down with one of her Pokemon and force Eli to switch out from there. She had Arcanine and Darmanitan left for her, and Darmanitan had the best chance of wearing Dragonite down, mostly because it could make Dragonite feel the pressure by using his strong physical attacks. She reached for the small orb on her hip and pulled it out, ready for a fight.

"Go, Darmanitan!" shouted Carrie. A large Pokemon busted out of its Pokeball, and it was quite a Pokemon for Eli to see. It had large eyes with colored rings around its eyes. It had massive eyebrows that made it look like some ancient mask, and it crawled around on four feet like Arcanine, but also could rear back onto its hind legs to attack. Its massive fists were to be feared, as it could throw massive punches that could punish you if you were not being careful. This Darmanitan looked like it had snuffed out many opponents in his day, and Eli wondered if he should switch out his Dragonite. However, he then remembered that his Pokemon did not take one lick of damage in the last battle, and that it should be OK for this fight. Carrie opted to take the first move in this fight, as Eli had occupied that position in the last battle. "Darmanitan, go out and get Dragonite! Use Flare Blitz and take down that Dragonite!" shouted Carrie. The malevolent Darmanitan propelled himself off his hind legs into the air towards Dragonite. Darmanitan then engulfed himself in a ring of fire, where he could effectively perform the attack Flare Blitz. Eli knew that Flare Blitz would inflict damage to Darmanitan based on how bad he hurt Dragonite, so he wasn't too worried about being knocked out by this attack. Eli knew that his Dragonite would dodge, so he left it up to him to get out of the way. Eli saw the movement that Dragonite was trying to perform to evade the attack, but Darmanitan was able to see the dodge coming and smash into the dragon with a brutal force. Eli heard a cry coming from Dragonite, and he was immediately worried that he had squandered his powerful dragon that easily. However, Dragonite only flew back up, shaking off the injury. Now, Dragonite was even more determined to beat down Darmanitan. Now, this was Eli's turn and Eli had the ability to finish the battle right here. He called upon his Dragonite to attempt the same maneuver that had crushed Carrie's Typhlosion in the last match.

"Alright Buddy, go after the Darmanitan with your Surf attack!" shouted Eli. Dragonite's way to use Surf was much different than Dragoniar's. For Dragonite, all he needed to do was soar up into the air and drop straight to the ground, so that the ground would need to be cracked. Then, he would be able to draw the water out from the cracked earth and use that to launch towards his opponent. Dragonite did that flawlessly, and a massive wall of water was launched towards Darmanitan. This attack was difficult to avoid, and Darmanitan had no way to dodge it. Darmanitan took a hefty amount of damage from this attack, and it was enough to activate his ability. His ability shifted him into Zen Form, where he became a rock-psychic type. This would normally make it much harder for Eli to deal with Darmanitan, but his Dragonite would easily be able to power through this obstacle. Zen Form Darmanitan also had another ability, which switched his special and physical attack stats. This made him more powerful against Pokemon who heavily relied on their defense, but in this battle, it really made no difference at all to Eli. He would be able to destroy Darmanitan with a move that Dragonite could use now that would wipe away any chance of Darmanitan winning. All he needed to do was to have Darmanitan wage another attack against Eli's Pokemon, and it would be the last action Darmanitan saw this battle. Now, it was Carrie's turn. She didn't especially like it when Darmanitan converted to Zen Form, but it had to be done. Now, it had a better power using Fire Blast, so that was somewhat of a plus. That was the only move she could use to wear down Dragonite any further, so she decided to give it a shot.

"Darmanitan, go at 'em with a Fire Blast now!" cried Carrie. She knew that this would have no chance at knocking out Dragonite, but she also had to give it a shot in order to wear down Dragonite even more. Darmanitan, who was now into a compact shell, blasted a shot of fire out of his mouth towards Dragonite. The winged beast could not get out of the way, and the fire scorched him. However, Dragonite was ready to finish this fight once and for all.

"Alright Buddy, finish that Darmanitan using Outrage, now! Don't hold back!" shouted Eli. Dragonite soared into the air and made a U-turn, ready to mow down Darmanitan. As he continued to swoop down, a blue aurora began to swarm his body. The energy grew until he smashed into Darmanitan, sending the shape-shifting Pokemon flying back into the wall. There was no way that Darmanitan would be able to walk that one off, and Eli had claimed his second victory in the battle.

End of Chapter 73


	74. Chapter 74

Chapter 74: A Shot In The Dark

Unlike the stance that Dragonite was standing in when he was ready to battle Darmanitan, this time he looked very exhausted, as his arms looked weak like wet noodles. Eli quickly reached for his Pokeball for Dragonite, but he opted to stay in. Dragonite had one last job in this battle, and it was to make sure that Carrie could not see where her Pokemon were going. Eli trusted that his bond with his Pokemon were greater than Carrie's and Eli knew that his Arcanine would be able to manipulate his cloning strategy to level any opponent that could not pick out a flaw in the clone. Eli knew that Carrie would have a decent shot at seeing the flaw in one of the clones, as she also trained an Arcanine. So, the best logical defense for this would be to knock out all vision for either team. Carrie now extended her arm with Darmanitan's Pokeball clutched in her hand. She then returned the ape to its Pokeball before reaching for the last Pokemon that she had on her team. Eli knew that her Arcanine was up next, and it was rumored to be the best Pokemon that Carrie carried on her team. Carrie smiled when she picked up the Pokeball, as she knew that it could wreck an entire team if they did not take the hound seriously. Carrie then looked up at Eli before hurling out her Pokeball.

"Alrighty Eli. I'm sure that you know how powerful my next Pokemon is. I would be very surprised if you can take it down with your crippled Dragonite. Surely you have more depth on your team than just that Dragonite. Well, I'm sure we'll see it right here. Arcanine, come out to battle!" shouted Carrie. A large hound akin to Eli's bounded out of the Pokeball that Carrie had just thrown. This Arcanine looked fierce on the outside, and it bared sharp fangs that looked like they could mount a vicious attack on an unsuspecting opponent. Eli looked into the eyes of this Arcanine, and he immediately knew that this was going to be one heck of a fight. Carrie opted to make the first move again, as it would help her greatly since it was her last Pokemon. "Ready Eli? I wish you luck because your gonna need it in this fight! Arcanine, use Flare Blitz now against that Dragonite! Make sure that he is not going to walk this one off!" shouted Carrie. Arcanine pounced from its hind legs and leaped into the sky in pursuit of Dragonite. However, the large dragon swooped out of the way, only managing to be clipped by the attack. Eli could tell that Dragonite would not want to stay in there for a whole lot longer, so Eli would need to make this quick.

"OK Buddy, one last attack then you can take a rest. Go for a Surf now and aim at the lava pools lighting the room!" shouted Eli. Dragonite spiraled towards the ground and smashed into the clay floor that composed the earth. Then, a flow of water came crashing from the depths of the earth and landed with perfect aim in the pools of lava. Now, the room was almost completely dark, which played perfectly into Eli's plan. Now, Eli reached for Dragonite's Pokeball and returned the dragon, the red light that sucked th Pokemon back in being the only light in the room. Now, Eli's plan was perfectly set up, and he could have a great chance to level this Arcanine. "Alright Yippers, I hope you're ready. Come out to battle!" shouted Eli. Now, Eli could not see Arcanine coming onto the field this time, but he knew what it would look like. Arcanine would inevitably land on his strong paws and lean his chest down to the ground, where he would let loose a high pitched bark and be ready for battle. Eli heard the bark, and that meant that he would be ready for action. Eli opted to make his move now, as it would intimidate Carrie into losing her confidence. "Yippers, use Double Team clone now and make 4 copies of yourself to fight the other Arcanine!" shouted Eli. Eli could hear the bone-chilling growl of Arcanine as the brigade of Eli's control multiplied. Now, Eli truly held the upper hand in this battle. Now, Carrie, who's voice was shaken, called out for her Arcanine to try and make a maneuver.

"Alright Arcanine, I'm counting on you here. Use Flare Blitz to just light the area up for a minute. We need to see what is going on," commanded Carrie. Her Arcanine obediently obeyed commands, and it turned into a horror fest for Carrie and her Pokemon. There were 5 full-fleshed Arcanines standing in front on Carrie's 1 Pokemon, and it looked like this could end very poorly for Carrie. Eli smiled, as he knew that he had Carrie on the ropes. Now, it was Eli's turn to fire back an attack at Carrie.

"Carrie, as you can see, this battle is all but over. Your Arcanine's Flare Blitz is strong, but 5 of the same attack is much stronger. Arcanines, let us all use Flare Blitz, now!" shouted Eli. All together, 5 figures cloaked in fire sprang out of their hiding spots in the darkness and began to dash towards Arcanine. The first Flare Blitz hit, and it weakened Carrie's Pokemon. Then, the second and third Arcanines came in opposite directions, slashing up Carrie's last Pokemon. Then, the fourth Arcanine clone ran behind its foe and smashed it up into the air, leaving it ready for the finishing blow. Then, the real Arcanine charged towards its foe and swiped it out of the air, smashing it into the hard ground. Carrie then made her way through the darkness of the gym and handed Eli the badge. She congratulated Eli on making it this far, and assured him that it would only get tougher from here. Eli then thanked her for the battle and left the gym where he was met by the dreary rain, causing him to bolt to the Pokemon Center for shelter.

End of Chapter 74


	75. Chapter 75

Chapter 75: Will He Come Back?

Eli dashed inside the warm confines of the Pokemon Center where he could escape the pouring rain outside. Even though he loved this type of weather, he did not want his items in his backpack to get soaked. If his Pokeballs got wet, then they might release his Pokemon and that would be a total disaster. Eli pushed his way through the heavy glass doors and stumbled inside the bright Pokemon Center. When he entered inside, he decided that he would check his Pokemon in to Nurse Joy so that they could rest up for the rest of the day. Eli decided that he would not be traveling to Route 10 today, as the weather would not permit it. Route 10 would lead to Eli to Tantalum City, where he would be able to explore the surroundings such as the Pokemon Catching contest. This contest would allow Eli to add another member to his team for the adventures, and he would also be able to see how his Pokemon compared to the other trainers in the city. However, today would not be the day where he would make more progress. He was tired after his gym battle, so he would need to rest up for the day. He decided to let Arcanine out of his Pokeball to accompany him in the room and return the rest of his Pokemon to Nurse Joy. After he returned his Pokemon, he turned towards the lobby where he found a familiar face. Atlas was also here in the Pokemon Center, and he was furiously scribbling down notes on a piece of paper. Eli walked over to him and sat down, triggering Atlas to quickly throw the piece of paper into his bag. Eli figured that he better not ask about what Atlas was writing about, and rather he continues conversation with Atlas.

"Hey Eli," spoke Atlas in a soft, mellow demeanor. He looked like he was just in the middle of deep thought, and that his own thoughts had gotten him down again. Eli relaxed and slouched back in his chair, thinking about all the things he wanted to say to Atlas. He wanted to talk about Isaac, and whether or not he would come back to the good side. He also wanted to tell Atlas about Isaac's Wartortle and if that held any weight in the question of Isaac retuning to the Cobalt Town Crew. However, Eli figured that he would try to draw Atlas out of his mood before telling him about that.

"Have you challenged Carrie yet Atlas? She wasn't that hard for me," stated Eli, who pulled out the small gem that he had been given for beating the 7th gym leader. Eli knew that if he sparked a competition with Atlas that he would get out from his sorrow mood. Atlas, upon seeing the badge, dropped his jaw in awe. Eli could tell that he hadn't battled Carrie yet by the look on his face, so that would be a good talking point for them to discuss.

"Well, I haven't challenged her yet, mainly because I have been training my newest member of my team up. I would like you to meet Zane, my Vaporeon!" exclaimed Eli. Atlas tossed a Pokeball up into the air and a blue looking Pokemon was released from the orb. Eli looked at the Pokemon in intrigue, as it was a Pokemon that Eli had not seen before. This Pokemon looked like a cross between a mythical mermaid and a dog, but it also looked like a fierce competitor. Eli knew that Vaporeon was a pure water type, and that it probably had the ability Water Absorb. This Pokemon would be a tough one for Carrie to deal with, as Vaporeon's water moves would be able to terrorize the Fire types that resided inside the gym. Eli was happy that Atlas had a new Pokemon on his team, and that it would help him get the 7th badge. "This Pokemon will single-handedly win me this gym badge. Now my only concern is whether I can add another Pokemon in the Pokemon Catching contest in Tantalum City," added Atlas.

"So you are going there too," added Eli. "I think I can add another member to my box after that. Who knows, you may even be the recipient of this Pokemon. So, now that we both know where each other are going, I want to talk to you about something," commented Eli. At this, Atlas' face hardened and he began to set into a more serious demeanor. "The other day, when I was going down Route 6, I was taken to the Distortion World by Giratina again. I think he knows of Team Eclipse, and he does not like where this is going. He knows that they are after legendaries that are weak to dark types and can control their enemies. The other Pokemon that they have gone after have been able to control their enemies indirectly using their psychic powers. However, I have pondered this subject for a long time, and I have figured out why they might be after Giratina. He can control his enemies with an iron fist, and no one would be able to stop a beast that powerful. Giratina knows this, so he warped me to the Distortion World to send me a message. He led me to a Pokemon that had been hurt by a Team Eclipse member to show me what would happen to my Pokemon if we let Team Eclipse win. The Pokemon that he showed me was one that we have both seen before. It was Isaac's Wartortle. I have been immersed in thought of this since I saw it, and I began to wonder if he ever wants to come back. Do you think it would be possible if we could turn his next time we meet up with Team Eclipse? Next time we meet them, I have a feeling that it will be either the end of them or the end of the world as we know it. If they get Giratina, then it is all over for us. However, if we manage to hold them off, then we can put a stop to them," finished Eli. Atlas stopped to think of the situation before giving his answer.

"Well Eli, I think that there is a chance he will swing. However, I would not count on it. He made his choice, and if he refuses to turn and help us fight for good, then Charizard and I will not hold back against him. I guess I just need to think about it for a while," finished Atlas. At that, he took the final sip from his hot chocolate and stood up, pushed his chair in, and walked into his room. Eli frowned, as he looked down at Arcanine, who rubbed his muzzle into Eli's soft hand. Eli decided that he would wait until the rain let up and make his way to Route 10. Eli just hoped that Isaac would turn next time they came upon him. Team Eclipse needed to be stopped.

End of Chapter 75


	76. Chapter 76

Chapter 76: Route 10

It was almost sundown when the rain finally let up from outside. Eli loved the rain, but he really wanted to get back on the road, so it came as a relief when it finally let up. He retrieved his Pokemon from the always cheery Nurse Joy and returned his Arcanine from the lobby floor. Then, he pulled out a Pokemon that he had not used in a while to battle with him. He pulled out Bulbasaur's Pokeball, and the small, green dinosaur sprang out from the confines of the Pokeball. The Pokemon smiled with glee as Eli led it out of the red-roofed building. The sun descended over the horizon as Eli left the confines of the city and headed east towards Route 10. Eli had done his homework on Route 10, and he was excited about what may lie ahead. He knew that many Ground type Pokemon inhabited this path, so it would be a great place to destroy all of his opponents with ease. Bulbasaur did need some training, as he had not used his starter for quite a while. He had used it in the Battle Tower, but that was the last time he had benefited from its efforts. Eli let his Bulbasaur lead the way, as it would be better able to detect any Ground types coming for Eli and Bulbasaur. Eli knew that he would have to be able to snuff out any Ground types that would come his way, as the 8th gym leader of the Perodia region was famous for using his Ground type Pokemon. Bulbasaur would be a valuable partner in those battles, as Arcanine would not be able to participate in that battle. Arcanine would be too important to snuff out in that battle, as he would be needed to conquer the Elite 4, if he got that far. Eli steeled himself as Bulbasaur suddenly tensed up, meaning that they had probably encountered the first Pokemon on this route so far. Eli looked all around for the Pokemon that Bulbasaur had sensed, but he could not see it anywhere. Suddenly, Eli felt a trembling under his feet. The rumbling grew louder and louder, and Eli finally dodged out of the way from where he was standing. Not a second later, a small but powerful Pokemon bashed out from under the ground. Eli recognized this Pokemon from a terrorist TV event from a couple years ago. In Kanto, there was a terrorist group named Team Rocket, and they happened to hack into the world TV station and broadcast their message. They killed a Marowak on the broadcast, but they were stopped from doing further harm by a trainer named Red. Either way, that was beside the point. Eli needed to fight this Marowak, and possibly catch it. Bulbasaur would do a good job at doing this, as he would be able to constrain Marowak and keep it at a distance with moves like Energy Ball and Leech Seed. Eli thought that Marowak would be worthy opponent for Bulbasaur, but that it would still be feasible to keep Bulbasaur alive during his battle. Eli pointed towards Marowak and commanded Bulbasaur to gear up for the fight. Eli knew that Bulbasaur's stat boosting move, Growth, would not work as well in the darkness, so his best bet would be to go with Leech Seed.

"Alright Syntha, go with a Leech Seed to keep Marowak in one spot!" shouted Eli. Bulbasaur shot a small seed out of the bulb on his back and launch in towards the ground where Marowak stood. The powerful ground type Pokemon was not able to dodge the attack, and now his feet were attached to the ground due to the constraints of the malicious vines. Eli had Marowak right where he wanted him. Eli was expecting Marowak to flail around trying to get out of the vines, and that would allow for a very easy capture. However, Marowak still had a few tricks up his sleeve to show Eli. Marowak reached for his dense bone and instead of swinging at the vines at his feet, used the attack Boomerang to whip his bone at a high-speed towards the defenseless Bulbasaur. Bulbasaur was completely unsuspecting of the blow, and it sent him flying backwards. However, Marowak was still being constrained by Leech Seed, so Eli actually had a great chance of capturing the Pokemon. Now, Eli would need to take precautionary measures to protect his Bulbasaur. "Now Syntha, make a wall using Leech Seed!" shouted Eli. Bulbasaur sprang another seed out from his bulb once again and plunked it into the ground. It quickly grew into a wall of ivy that protected Bulbasaur from further blows. Now, Marowak attempted his Boomerang attacks again, but this time, it was much less effective. The bone smashed into the wall of ivy that Bulbasaur had created, but it failed to break the barrier. Eli now could launch one last assault against Marowak before being able to try to capture it. "Syntha, use Energy Ball to weaken Marowak!" cried Eli. Bulbasaur peeped out from the wall of ivy and popped an Energy Ball at Marowak. The attack smashed into the skulled creature, and Marowak fired his Boomerang at the wall of ivy again. This time, the wall broke, but it was far too late for Marowak. Eli pulled out a Pokeball and launched it towards Marowak. The Ground type was absorbed into the Pokeball and the orb fell to the ground. Eli waited nervously as the ball tried to contain the creature. After three successful checkpoints, Eli knew that he had captured Marowak. Eli then thanked Bulbasaur for his service and made his way out of Route 10.

End of Chapter 76


	77. Chapter 77

Chapter 77: Tantalum City!

Eli picked up the Pokeball that he had just used to capture Marowak before it dissolved into the air, as it was sent to the Pokemon Storage system with Heracross. Eli knew that this Pokemon would be a valuable addition to his team, but that he may not be around for long. Marowak would be a great addition to Eli's team, but he would also be a great fit for Atlas. Another aggressive, physical attacker would fit his team well. Eli figured that he would probably give this Pokemon to Atlas, as it would solidify a great friendship with him for a long time. Eli smiled as the Pokeball disappeared in a flash of blue light, as this would be a great surprise for Atlas. Eli then looked up at the sky and found the moon soaring above him, telling him that the night continued to push on as he stood on the grounds of Route 10. Eli decided that he would need to move out of the route before anything bad happened. There were many reports of trainers who had been ambushed by Team Eclipse at night, and Eli wanted to stay as far away from those people as possible. So, Eli nudged his Bulbasaur, signaling him to lead the way. Bulbasaur enjoyed leading the way, as he could then feel independent and free. Although Bulbasaur loved traveling with Eli, he wished that he got to battle more. However, he was still happy for nights like these where he could roam the land of Perodia with Eli and just be able to have a great time. Bulbasaur continued to lead the way down the windy route, searching for any people or Pokemon who wanted to have a battle. Bulbasaur seemed bloodthirsty in a sense, as he was searching for any Pokemon to fight with. Bulbasaur then stopped for the second time in the route to look around. Eli also seemed suspicious of this area, as it seemed like the forest danced around him, trying not to be seen while shrouding an enemy. Eli then walked up to where Bulbasaur had promptly stopped and bent down onto his knees. As he got lower to the ground, he saw the moonlight bounce off of a small string suspended above the ground. This looked like something that Eli would only see in a cheesy movie, but there was in fact a tripwire lifted above the ground. Eli simply stepped over the wire and lifted Bulbasaur above the line. Eli had no idea what could have happened if he stepped over the wire, but he didn't want to find out. He kept moving forward and came upon the sign for the entrance to Tantalum City.

As soon as Eli arrived at the Pokemon Center at Tantalum City, he dumped his Pokemon off to Nurse Joy. He thanked her for her services as she told him that it would take a few hours for her to heal his Pokemon. Eli then decided to go and explore the city. There was quite a lot to do in the city, from going to the Pokemon Catching contest to just looking at all the fun shops around town. Eli decided that he would go and poke around the outside of the Pokemon Catching contest to see where he would be exploring in the morning. Eli needed to find out when they opened in the morning so that he could add another backup member to his team. As Eli approached the massive fenced in area, he looked around for the entrance. He finally saw the gate, and he approached the sign that showed times. Apparently, there was a contest each day at 10 AM, which was plenty of time for Eli to wake up and get his wits about him. As he was ready to leave, he was stopped by a big, burly man wearing a badge on his chest.

"What do you think you're doing here kid?" asked the man in a gruff voice. He crossed his arms in a brisk tone, trying to intimidate Eli. Eli knew that he had nothing to hide, so he shot a smile on to his face before replying.

"Just checking the time sir. I think I'm going to participate tomorrow," replied Eli. The security guard looked disappointed, obviously because he was not able to get his arrest tonight. He then let Eli pass, and Eli decided that it was a good idea to go back to the Pokemon Center tonight. It would be better to stay out of trouble for now rather than get into it.

When Eli got back to the Pokemon Center, he immedeatley went back to his lonely dorm room where he would be spending the rest of the night. It was already 1 AM, but he didn't really care. He would wake up in a couple of hours and get ready to go and add a new member to his team. While lying in bed, he began to wonder what kinds of Pokemon he would be able to find. Maybe he would be able to find a rare Pokemon that would cap his team. Or, maybe he would be able to discover a brand new Pokemon that no one had ever seen before. Whatever Pokemon he found, Eli would be very excited to see it.

End of Chapter 77


	78. Chapter 78

Chapter 78: Pokemon Catching Contest!

Eli awoke the next morning with the spirit of adventure coursing through his veins. He was extremely excited about his trip to the Pokemon Catching Contest today, so much so that he woke up at 7 AM to get ready as opposed to sleeping in. He jumped out of bed and quickly changed his attire so that he would be able to go and add a new member to his journey. Finally, he looked through his bag to make sure that he had enough Pokeballs. He had bought quite a few of them the night before in anticipation of the contest, so he had no doubt in his mind that he would catch something good to add to his team. He swung his black backpack over his shoulder and pulled on his Pokemon World Tournament cap before exiting both his dorm room and the Pokemon Center.

As he walked down the neatly paved road of the city, he sniffed the fresh, spring air that blossomed on beautiful mornings like this one. Fresh flowers danced along the sides of the roads, and there were tall, broad trees that decorated the neat areas in the city. While he was walking, he looked about and saw all of the small, family owned shops that lined the streets. While some people may view a town like this as small and unindustrialized, Eli loved this type of town. It was small and everyone here felt like family. Finally, Eli came upon the gates to the Pokemon Catching Contest where he was the night before and looked back at the instructions and information board. Eli was sure that someone would explain the rules before hand, but Eli wanted a little background information on the event that he was going to take part in. He looked up towards the board and began reading the rules off in his head. Of course, you were only allowed to catch 1 Pokemon here. This was not only a rule in this park, but it was also a national rule in the Perodia Region. The government wanted to prevent Pokemon from fleeing from the region, so they placed a rule so that a person could only catch 1 Pokemon per route they visited. Eli didn't always agree with this rule, but he knew that it was the best for the whole of Perodia. Also, it was required that a person takes care of their Pokemon because the technology in the region was lacking. Unlike more populous regions like Hoenn and Kanto, people were still unable to revive their Pokemon at a Pokemon Center. They could only reheal them for the time being. Eli hoped that Perodia would one day achieve that technology, and that Pokemon Trainers would no longer have to suffer the premature loss of one their Pokemon. Eli turned from that note and continued to scan over the rules. He would only be able to bring 1 Pokemon with him, and it was illegal to fight other Pokemon Trainers inside the arena. Eli was interested to see if anyone he knew came to the Pokemon Catching Contest, as it would spur some competition between the two. After Eli finished reading the rules and pondering the technological future of Perodia, he looked at his pocket watch that he had found in the underwater city. The competition started in 15 minutes. Within the next couple of minutes, hoards of people entered the facility. Eli guessed that there were about 25 people at the occasion, and that this would be a very fun event. The crowd buzzed with anticipation, but the director of the event who explained the rules to everyone soon doused the noise. The director was a small but buff man who looked like he was in his mid 30s. He was wearing a fancy black suit and had his hair gelled forward. He cleared his throat before continuing.

"Hello everyone, and welcome to the Pokemon Catching Contest. We are all very excited to have you here today, and we value your time spent here. Before we get started, we have a couple of rules for you to keep in mind. The first rule is to only catch 1 Pokemon here. The second is that you may only bring 1 Pokemon in with you, and you may not fight other trainers in this event. If you do, you will be arrested and charged with harassment. I hope these rules are understood. The person who performs the best capture will be entered into a raffle to go on a luxurious trip to Kanto. Now, without further ado, let the Pokemon Catching Contest begin!" shouted the director. At that moment, the gates sprung open and all the trainers rushed inside the gates.

There was no real trail inside the Pokemon Catching Contest. Large trees sprang up from every inch of the ground, and Eli could hear both trainers and Pokemon alike navigating their way through the forest. Eli opted to bring his Arcanine in with him, as the large dog could easily traverse through any land that the zone could throw at him. Also, he could wear opposing Pokemon down with ease using his strategic move, Double Team, while also powering through opponents using Flare Blitz, Crunch, and Close Combat. Arcanine was the ace on Eli's team, and he was Eli's most trusted partner. Eli bounded through the forest before coming upon a dark cave. Eli knew that this spot would not be the safest place to visit, but it would be the place where he could find the best Pokemon. Eli bent over to his Arcanine and whispered the beast a command. "Alright Yippers, here is the plan. I need you to walk with me while using Flare Blitz. However, I need you to do what Carrie's Arcanine did and just light the place up. We don't need to attack any foes, we just need to see our surroundings. Got it?" explained Eli. Arcanine nodded in agreement and walked inside the cave, his fur emitting a red light that lit up the cave. Eli smiled and walked behind Arcanine, looking for any interesting wild Pokemon to catch. Eli and Arcanine walked along the damp floor and eventually came to a fork in the road. Eli nodded at Arcanine who knew the drill by now of what to do. He made 1 clone of himself and had the clone walk down the other side of the path. Eli and Arcanine continued down the right path while the clone went down the left path. Not a minute later, an audible scream was heard from the other pathway, meaning that some other Pokemon had taken the bait. Eli and Arcanine dashed down the hallway together and made a clothespin turn into the left hallway from there, they didn't have to go far until they came upon the Pokemon that had eliminated the clone. Standing in front of Eli was a menacing looking Pokemon with what appeared to be a scythe blade coming out of its head. Its fur appeared grey in the dim light, but it was probably much lighter than that. Eli knew that he had come upon the Disaster Pokemon, Absol. Eli smiled as he knew that this may be an easy capture for him. Arcanine's Close Combat was super effective against Absol, so this would make capturing the dark type Pokemon a heck of a lot easier. "Yippers, use Close Combat now!" shouted Eli. Arcanine stopped illuminating the cave and pounced forward to Absol, smashing his large paws into the torso of the dark type hound. Absol grunted with every blow, and Eli was doubtful that he could make an attempt to fight back at Arcanine. However, Absol used Sword's Dance, which would double his attack but leave him at risk of another Close Combat. Arcanine's defenses were lowered every time he use Close Combat, so Eli would need to capture Absol quickly. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a Pokeball, which he promptly threw at Absol. The dark type hound was absorbed into the Pokeball with a flash of red light. The Pokeball's button pulsated once, which meant that the capture process was underway. The second flash meant that Eli had a growing chance of securing Absol in the orb. The third and final flash told Eli that he had captured Absol, and that he was now free to leave the park.

After making the journey out of the Pokemon Catching Contest, Eli pulled out his map of the Perodia Region and looked at where he would need to go next. Route 12 was the next route, but that place also led to a dead end, but the 8th Gym Badge was in that city. Eli would want to take this gym on, in Teraium City.

End of Chapter 78


	79. Chapter 79

Chapter 79: Route 12

Eli looked up from his map of the Perodia Region and made a mental list of what he needed to do before he could ship off to Route 12 and Teraium City. He knew that his Pokemon were all fully healed, so all that he needed to do was drop by the Pokemon Center to retrieve Absol's Pokeball from the PC. Eli wasn't going to use Absol right now, but he knew what he was going to do with the Dark Type Pokemon. He was going to give it to Atlas so that he would be able to get a full party of Pokemon faster. Eli then trekked up the road to the Pokemon Center, which was positioned at the top of the hill. He then swung open the glass doors to the red-roofed building and went inside before walking over to the white computer that held his captured Pokemon in them. He mashed on the required buttons and received his Absol back from the computer. Then, he walked over to Nurse Joy who was perched behind her desk and handed her the Pokeball.

"Hello Nurse Joy. Can I ask you to hang onto this Pokeball and give it to a friend that will drop by later?" asked Eli. Nurse Joy bobbed her head and waited for Eli to dispense the Pokeball into her hands. "His name is Atlas. He will be traveling with his Charizard or his Lairon, and he will have spiked brown hair. Tell him its from Eli," finished Eli. He smiled at Nurse Joy before thanking her for the help. Then, he swiftly turned and walked out from the Pokemon Center, all geared up to go out and clash with the challenges that might face him on Route 12.

The path on Route 12 was a wide path situated between two large mountains. It was almost like walking in a canyon, except there were large, rocky boulders obstructing the path from time to time. Eli had his Bulbasaur leading the way in front again, as he wanted Bulbasaur to get used to the terrain that would most likely make up the battlefield in the 8th Gym battle. While Eli and his Bulbasaur walked, Eli did some research from his PokeDex on the 8th gym leader of the region, Jobe. Eli knew that Jobe was a ground type gym leader, but he didn't know exactly how hard the battle would be. Eli figured that since he had Bulbasaur, Dragonite, Alakazam, and Crobat, that this battle would be a piece of cake. All of Eli's Pokemon seemed like trump cards for all of Jobe's Pokemon. However, Eli should have known better about the capabilities of the final gym leader. Apparently, Jobe had a Nidoking, a Flygon, a Quagsire, and a Rhydon. Eli became worried about a few Pokemon, the first being Flygon. Having a Dragon on Jobe's team meant that he would be able to take to the skies to counter Crobat. However, this also meant that Dragonite would not be a safe play no matter what, and that Bulbasaur would lose a heap of effectiveness. Flygon had great versatility, whether it decided to be the leading attacker or be a great supporter. Eli knew that this would be one tough Pokemon to reckon with, but he also knew that Jobe had other Pokemon that he needed to be worried about. Nidoking was a massive concern to Eli, as it would be able so smash through Crobat with moves like Thunderbolt while still counter Bulbasaur with Earthquake. He also had the potential to carry a move like Ice Beam, which would effectively counter Dragonite. Eli knew that Nidoking also had access to Megahorn, which could wreck any chance of Alakazam countering it. However, Eli felt certain that he would be able to take down Quagsire, as it would suffer from any grass type attacks. Also, Rhydon would fall in the neutral difficulty category for Eli, as it was slow but still had access to a couple of great moves. Eli knew that Jobe would be a force to be reckoned with for sure, but that he was also a worthy trainer of the 8th gym. Seeing a trainer smashing boulders that were in the way with his powerful Pokemon interrupted Eli's train of thought. Oddly enough, this trainer also had a Nidoking. Eli thought that facing this trainer would be great practice for his gym battle, so he walked up and tapped on the man's shoulder to get his attention.

"Hello sir. Would you mind if we had a Pokemon battle real quick? I need to do some training for the 8th gym battle," asked Eli. The man that Eli was faced with looked like he had done the hard labor that his Pokemon were helping him do before. He stood at around 6 feet tall and was built like a truck. He had massive arms that could topple anyone who messed with him, but his face looked like that of a person who had just got out of college. This threw Eli off for a minute, as the man's face did not match the rest of his body. The man laughed in a high pitch before responding to Eli.

"Training for the gym battle, eh?" asked the man. Eli was ready to answer until the man cut him off with his high pitched voice. "Well, you came to the right place. As a matter of fact, I am Jobe, the 8th gym leader, and I will be happy to battle you any time. However, I assume that you are ready now, but I do need some more time. Check back at the gym in a couple of hours. That'll give you time to rest up and go explore the city. I got to get back to this, but I'll see you soon," finished Jobe. Eli smiled, as he had already arranged a time to attempt and conquer the last gym in the Perodia Region. Eli rushed down the path and made his way to Teraium City as fast as he could.

End of Chapter 79


	80. Chapter 80

Chapter 80: The Beginning of the End

The time in between when Eli met Jobe and the gym battle all seemed like it had been thrown together in a montage of sorts, speeding up the time and making the battle appear sooner. Eli knew that this battle would be the biggest one that he had ever had in his life, and that aspect surely didn't help his nerves. He needed to win this battle or else he would be shut out of the Perodia Elite 4 challenge. Moreover, he would not want to lose any of his colleagues that had helped his throughout the way. In the seemingly short time that he did have between when he met Jobe and the gym battle, he rehealed his Pokemon and meandered around the town, prepping himself mentally for the battle. Eli knew that this was an important battle, and that he would not be able to live a loss down at this point in his journey. He had to win without using Arcanine and Jolteon, because those two hounds would be crushed under the powerful ground type attacks that Jobe could use. Also, Eli was even more intimidated by the thought of facing Jobe because of the sheer power that he had displayed when having his Nidoking smash the boulders blocking the path. Jobe would be one tough opponent, as he could easily intimidate Eli with the power of his Pokemon or with the wits of himself, the trainer. Eli decided that instead of repeating the same pep talk loop to himself, that he would try to pump up his Pokemon as much as possible, as having his Pokemon at a high energy would allow them to exploit the low speed of Jobe's ground type Pokemon. Eli let Bulbasaur, Alakazam, Dragonite, and Crobat out of their Pokeballs. All of them looked like they knew what battle was coming already, but Eli decided that he would need to make it frank to them that they were the ones who were going to have to do the heavy lifting. Eli knew that Bulbasaur and Dragonite could manage the heavy lifting, but he wondered if the weaker Alakazam and Crobat could do the same. Eli looked at the group of Pokemon that stood in front of him and cleared his throat before beginning.

"Alright guys, as many of you know, we are ready for the final gym leader in the Perodia Region, and that means that there will a tough fight ahead of us. We are up against Jobe, the ground type gym leader. Because of the typing of this gym, Jolteon and Arcanine will not be able to do much damage, so they will be sitting out for this one. I wanted to make sure that you guys can do the heavy lifting that will be required to win this fight. Are you?" prompted Eli. All of the Pokemon in front of him nodded their heads in unison, signaling that they were all ready to take on Jobe, and hopefully win. Eli was confident that he would be able to beat Jobe, but he also knew that it might come at the cost of one of his Pokemon. On the way to the gym, he thought to himself about which Pokemon on his team was the most expendable, Arceus forbid that Eli was put it the situation where he had to choose. He knew that Arcanine was the best Pokemon on the team, and that he was essential. Bulbasaur was Eli's first Pokemon, so he was safe in the lineup. Dragonite was Eli's ace in the hole, capable of wiping out anything Arcanine couldn't. Those three Pokemon were safe for sure, and now Eli had to decide from the rest of the three Pokemon in his party. All of them held their benefits and weaknesses, and there was no good answer to this question. Crobat allowed Eli to take on flying type trainers, while Alakazam had gotten Eli out of some tough jams and possessed the power to wipe out any Pokemon that lacked special defense. Jolteon had the best type coverage out of all of them, as he was only weak to ground and could use his special attacks like Alakazam. Eli decided that if one of them had to go, that Alakazam was the weakest link, as Jolteon filled the same gap but with more coverage. All of these thoughts were then pitched out the window when Eli opened up the doors to the toughest gym in Perodia.

The landscape in the gym was absolutely stunning, as there were large boulders obstructing many places in the gym. There were also large craters by the boulders, making it look like the boulders had been excavated out of the ground for battle purposes. Eli also knew that there had to be water under the ground somewhere, as Quagsire would be useless without it. Eli then looked across the field and saw Jobe waiting for him.

"Well there you are Eli, I've been expecting you," said Jobe. That creeped Eli out a bit, but he knew that Jobe was just trying to get in his head. "I hope your ready to fight Eli, because this will be the greatest challenge of your life! Flygon, let's go!" shouted Jobe. And with that, Eli's 8th gym battle had begun.

End of Chapter 80


	81. Chapter 81

Chapter 81: One Tough Cookie

Eli looked at the opposition's Flygon with an intense stare, his dark eyes darting around the battlefield, searching for a way to make quick work of the dragon that hovered above the field in front of him. Eli knew that Dragonite had the best chance of taking Flygon down, but that move also went both ways. Flygon could also land super-effective shots on Dragonite. Although it was not the best option for Eli, he decided to go with Dragonite and hope for the best.

"Alright Buddy, let's go out an get this gym badge!" shouted Eli. The large, gentle giant bounced out of his Pokeball and landed on the field with a thud. Dragonite was not ready to take to the air in this fight yet, as he was not as nimble as Flygon was. Eli knew that it he could get Flygon to fight on the ground that he could control the combat. However, if Eli was forced to send Dragonite into the air, then Flygon would be able to control the fight. Judging by the reaction on Jobe's face, Dragonite was a Pokemon that he was well prepared to face. Eli decided that it would be good if he tried to rattle Jobe by a powerful move, so he decided to go ahead and move first. "Buddy, let's get this battle rolling by using Surf! Try to shake up the battlefield as much as possible!" shouted Eli. Eli knew that if he was able to mess with the environment that he would be able to alter Jobe's confidence about this matchup. Dragonite jumped up into the air and used his small wings to catapult him into the air. Then, he flipped back and smashed his fists into the ground, drawing up all the water that he knew was beneath the ground that was meant for Quagsire. All the water rushed out around the field, and Eli was quite surprised at the damage that he was able to do. All the boulders had been moved around, and most of them had been pushed into the craters next to them. Eli could tell by Jobe's facial expression that this was not what he wanted Eli to do, as it messed with the rest of the plans for battle by destroying the environment. Now, Jobe was faced with a tougher situation, but it was his turn to move.

"Alright Flygon, use Tailwind now!" shouted Jobe. The foe Flygon released a shrill scream from his mouth that seemed to summon a massive rush of wind behind him. Eli and Dragonite were now facing a massive blast of wind, and Eli know knew that this Flygon would be running support. Tailwind would increase the speed of Jobe's Pokemon, and since they were all ground types, they were all very slow. Eli knew that he would have to stall out and wait until the wind let up, because now Jobe's ground type Pokemon had eliminated one of their large weaknesses. Eli knew that this was not good, and that it would be difficult not only to outspeed Jobe's Pokemon, but to give commands. Eli was not a loud speaker, so his voice would most likely be lost in the wind. Eli could not hear what Jobe called out next, but he saw Flygon return to its Pokeball and Nidoking bust out onto the field. Eli knew that this was Jobe's ace, and that he would not be able to do much against it. Eli then returned Dragonite to his Pokeball and sent out his next Pokemon.

"Houdini, let's go now!" shouted Eli. Eli knew that he could stall out with Alakazam, mostly because he could keep Nidoking at distance using his special attack oriented moves. Eli knew that it would be tough, but he had enough faith in the moustached Pokemon to send him out in this tough situation. Now it was Eli's turn to make a move, and that he would now have to approach this stage cautiously, as this Nidoking could single-handedly wipe out the rest of Eli's team. "Houdini, use Psychic now!" shouted Eli. Alakazam closed his eyes and crossed his spoons before sending out a shockwave of power. This shockwave pushed Nidoking out a couple of yards and lightened the tailwind behind the poison type beast. Eli knew that this did quite a bit of damage to Nidoking. Now, Jobe had the next turn, and he had intentions of wiping out the rest of Eli's team in the next few moves.

"Alright Nidoking, show them how much power you can exert by using Megahorn, now!" shouted Jobe. The purple beast came pounding towards Eli's Alakazam, and now Eli would have to make a decision. Eli suddenly had an idea, and he was sure that it would help him out. If he was able to use the wind against Jobe, then he would have a great chance at wiping out this threat. Also, he would be able to cut off communication between Jobe and Nidoking. Also, he would be able to communicate with Alakazam, as he could read Eli's mind.

"Houdini, quick, use Teleport to get out of the way! Use the wind to hold Nidoking back!' shouted Eli. Nidoking barely missed Alakazam, and the poison type beast was now against the wind. Eli smiled, as this battle was over now. "Houdini, finish him using Psychic!" shouted Eli. Again, Alakazam, blasted a semi-invisible wave of psychic power towards Nidoking, and it was able to snuff out the powerful creature. Eli had just dodged a major bullet, and now he had the upper hand in the battle.

End of Chapter 81


	82. Chapter 82

Chapter 82: Clash of the Dragons

Jobe looked terrified as he stared at the field, the shell of his Nidoking crippled on the battlefield. The wind was now finally letting up, and now his Pokemon's speed would return to normal levels. Now, Jobe would have to make a choice on who to go to. He knew that Alakazam would not be able to go up against Flygon, but he was afraid that Eli would overpower Flygon with Dragonite, who was more powerful than any other Pokemon Jobe had left. However, Rhydon and Quagsire would lack the speed needed to keep up with Alakazam, as the psychic type Pokemon could hit like a truck and still be extremely nimble. He decided that he would need to clear out the threat of Dragonite before he moved on with the battle, so he decided to return to Flygon to lead the way.

"Flygon, come back out! Let's get this one underway!" cried Jobe. Jobe returned Nidoking to his Pokeball and threw out Flygon's in a glimpse of athleticism. Jobe knew that Eli would switch, as Flygon would be a match for Alakazam. Eli would always want the type advantage at hand, so he reached for Dragonite's Pokeball and silently made the switch. Eli now had more confidence about him, and he was poised to fight. Jobe decided that he would make the first move to try and reset the tone in the battle, as it was now a fight between dragons. "Flygon, go ahead and use Outrage on that Dragonite!" shouted Jobe. Flygon let loose another screech and darted towards Dragonite at a high speed. Eli knew that this move would cripple Dragonite for the rest of the battle. However, Eli knew that he would also be able to use this attack to weaken Flygon. Dragonite, despite being much slower than Flygon, managed to dodge the attack by smacking Flygon away with his massive paws. Eli smiled as this move just displayed the sheer strength of his dragon. Eli was relieved that Dragonite was this strong, as it made up for his lackluster speed. Now, Eli had the chance to go after Flygon and change the tides even stronger in his favor.

"Alright Buddy!" cried Eli. "Use Outrage back on Flygon!" shouted Eli. Dragonite lunged off of his back two legs and sprang into the air in pursuit of the fleeing Flygon. While he jumped into the air, his body became engulfed in a blue shroud of energy. Dragonite barely managed to catch up to Flygon and landed a mediocre shot on the nimble beast. Flygon cried out in pain and veered off to the side but managed to keep in the air. Now, it was Dragonite's turn to retreat. Flygon and Dragonite were now locked in a dangerous dance of attacking and retreating again. On the next round about, Flygon came swooping in at a higher than normal speed, and Dragonite had no time to dodge. Dragonite was only able to stick his rigid arm in the way of the attack, and Eli could tell by the wince on his face that the blue-aurora attack had severely damaged Dragonite's arm. His overpowering strength would not be watered down, as his pain would constrict his movement. Now, the scales tipped more in Jobe's favor. Eli knew that this would make the battle so much tougher, but that he would need to fight on to earn his final gym badge. Now, Dragonite went on his second time using Outrage, and this time he came off as slower than he was last time. However, Flygon was slowed by Dragonite's previous strike upon him, and this one hit harder than the previous one. Dragonite's blue aurora crushed Flygon's frail body into the damp ground below, and both Pokemon could be heard screaming. Flygon was obviously taking the most damage from the attack, but Dragonite also was suffering from his shattered arm. Eli just hoped that Dragonite would be able to tolerate more pain than Flygon, as Dragonite would not be able to take another hit from the attack. Both of the dragons thrashed about on the floor for quite a while, both of them taking turns delivering and taking the beating. The longer the battle raged on between the two, the more pessimistic Eli became about the outcome. Eli thought about whether he should return Dragonite to his Pokeball in favor for another, stronger, Pokemon, but he realized that Jobe had the same option and was not taking it. Eli gritted his teeth together waiting for the results of the battle, and finally, all the screams came to an end. Dragonite stood up, his knees shaking vigorously. The dragon quickly became fatigued, and he began to fall over on his side. However, Eli returned him to his Pokeball before he crashed onto his bad arm. Eli knew that Flygon was down, so that meant that he was halfway through with his gym battle.

End of Chapter 82


	83. Chapter 83

Chapter 83: Oldie but Goldie

Eli exhaled deeply as he knew that he was halfway through the gym battle, and he was most likely through the tougher half of the gym battle. Quagsire and Rhydon were Jobe's last two Pokemon, and both of them could be taken down by Eli's first Pokemon, Bulbasaur. The small, green dinosaur could take out Quagsire with ease and also go through Rhydon without much trouble. Eli knew who he was going to pick as his first Pokemon out, so now he would just need to wait and see what Jobe was going to choose. Eli realized that he still had Dragonite's Pokeball in his shaking hand, so he pulled it back and plopped it in his bag. Then, he reached for Bulbasaur's Pokeball and threw the trustworthy Pokemon out onto the field. He was ready to cry out for his Pokemon, but his voice failed to accept his prompt. Eli knew that he was still rattled from Dragonite fighting Flygon, but he had no idea it was still with him this strong. Jobe could clearly see that Eli was shaken, but he was also devastated from the last battle as well. Jobe then reached for his Flygon's Pokeball and retracted the limp dragon with a red beam of light. Jobe then held two different Pokeballs in his hands and looked at them with deep thought coursing through his meddled brain. He could choose either Rhydon or Quagsire, both of them being weak to Bulbasaur. He opted to go for Quagsire, as the dual type Pokemon may be able to land an Ice Punch or two before biting the dust. Jobe put Rhydon's Pokeball away for the moment before throwing out Quagsire.

"Quagsire, come out and battle!" shouted Jobe. The blue beast bounded out onto the field, ready to face a Pokemon that had a massive advantage over him. However, Jobe's Quagsire did have one aspect going for him. He could use the dampness of the floor caused by Dragonite's Surf to garner extra power on his attacks. That way, he could block attacks and alter the environment to wear down Bulbasaur and force the switch out to another Pokemon. Jobe carefully twisted together a plan before calling out for his trusty Pokemon to attack. "Quagsire, go out and use Surf now to flood the battlefield!" shouted Jobe. Quagsire spat out large quantities of water and flooded the battlefield, leaving roughly an inch of water on the field. Jobe knew that Bulbasaur could use Leech Seed in masterful ways, and he was trying to encourage the use of the attack temporarily before he cut it off. Jobe felt that if he could execute his plan that he could slip by in the battle, turning the tides in his favor. Now, it was Eli's turn to make a move.

"Alright Syntha, go ahead and use Leech Seed to tie Quagsire down! We'll make this one easy to beat!" cried Eli. Bulbasaur popped a seed out of the vibrant bulb on his back and landed it in the water in front of him. The seed rapidly began to grow from the influx of hydration and made a pathway towards Quagsire. This attack would have wrapped around the body of Quagsire if it had not been for Jobe's plan which he put into action when the vines began to flow towards Quagsire.

"Quagsire, go and use Ice Punch on the ground to freeze the water and stop the vines from growing! Hurry!" shouted Jobe. Quagsire swiftly swung his icy fist towards the ground and froze over the entire floor, which had been covered in water from the previous attack. Instantly, the vines froze their growth and withered up, losing all life and momentum that they had going for them. Also, Bulbasaur's small feet became frozen into the ground, making it harder for him to move. Quagsire was able to wiggle out of the icy trap, but now Eli was stuck in a sticky situation. If he tried to attack, Quagsire could easily block the attack and charge forward. If he switched to Crobat, he left himself open to Ice Punch. However, none of his other Pokemon were fit to fight Quagsire. Eli was going to have to have his Bulbasaur bite the bullet and try to land and attack on Quagsire. If Bulbasaur was able to land an Energy Ball, then he would almost certainly be able to knock-out Quagsire, as the attack was super effective. Eli knew that it would be the right way to go, as no other way seemed like it would work.

"Syntha, go ahead and use Energy Ball on Quagsire!" screamed Eli. Bulbasaur charged up a green ball of energy in his jaws while the not-so-agile Quagsire bounded towards Bulbasaur. Bulbasaur fired off the ball of energy at Quagsire who tried to block it by using an Ice Punch. However, the grass-type attack prevailed, leaving Quagsire down for the count.

End of Chapter 83


	84. Chapter 84

Chapter 84: The Top of The Mountain

Eli's chest heaved after he had averted disaster in the previous match. Quagsire's limp body was flattened upon the ice, and Bulbasaur was still trying to wiggle out of the ice that locked his feet into the ground. Jobe looked at the battlefield, disgusted by the chaos that he had created in the battle. His dark, short hair seemed less lively as he ran his large hands through it, trying to relieve his stress that he had built up in the battle. Eli knew that he was one Pokemon away from gaining entry to the Pokemon League, where he could go and challenge the Elite 4 and Champion. Eli wiped the fear and stress away and looked out onto the battlefield, beckoning for Jobe to make his move. The older trainer got the hint and pulled himself out of his slump before returning Quagsire to his Pokeball. Then, Jobe reached for another Pokeball, presumable Rhydon, that he would use to attempt to get Bulbasaur off the field.

"Eli, you've shown me how tough you were so far, and it has come as quite a surprise. I was sure that I would be able to annihilate you with ease, but I was obviously wrong. You and your Pokemon have hung in there through three of my four Pokemon, and I applaud you for that. However, don't go thinking that you are out of the woods yet, as I assure you that you are wrong. Now, you will need to face my most versatile Pokemon, Rhydon! Come on out to battle my beast!" shouted Jobe. The large, Ground type beast that Jobe had summoned out onto the field looked determined to crush all of the Pokemon Eli had on his team to bits. His cross face was paired with his armor-plated skin, and it made the beast look like a force to be reckoned with. Eli knew that this battle would be more difficult than the rest, as it required Eli to close the battle with skill, which was one of his biggest weaknesses. He could always trap his opponents in bad spots, but he needed to finish them if he wanted to become the champion. Jobe was entitled to the first move, as he was losing in the battle. Eli braced himself for what could happen and hoped that he would be able to pull through a tough battle like this one. Jobe clenched his white teeth before looking up at the battlefield to give a command. "Alrighty Rhydon, go give this kid the battle of his life! Go use Horn Drill on Bulbasaur, now!" shouted Jobe. The large, plated beast bounded towards Bulbasaur, who still had his small, green feet impaled into the ground. Eli thought that this would be the end for Bulbasaur, as Horn Drill was an attack that would deal massive damage to Bulbasaur. Eli cried out for the green dinosaur to dodge the attack, but he knew that it was likely too late to dodge it. However, one thing in the back of his mind reassured him. Horn Drill had less accuracy the closer in level the two Pokemon were. Eli needed for his Bulbasaur to be a close level to Rhydon for this attack to miss. Rhydon continued to charge towards Bulbasaur with his horn now spinning like a tire of a fast car. Then, Rhydon pounced onto the Bulbasaur, attempting to crush the dinosaur under the weight and power of his attack. However, Bulbasaur ducked out of the way of the attack, leaving Rhydon to smash the ice that bonded his feet into the ground. Now, the Pokemon were each fighting on a level playing field. Jobe's mouth was left hanging wide open, and he was amazed at what Bulbasaur was able to do in close-quarters fighting. Now, Eli had the opportunity to fire back another attack before Jobe could calm himself. Eli knew that Leech Seed would not work in this situation, mostly because of the thin layer of ice that covered the field. However, Eli knew that attacks like Energy Ball and Vine Whipe would work, as they would do a good job of keeping Rhydon at distance, as he was a physical attacker. Now, Eli opened his clenched jaws and called out a command for Bulbasaur.

"Syntha, go out and get this Rhydon! Use Leech Seed and grab onto Rhydon's arms! If he runs towards you to attack, keep him at distance and move him away!" cried Eli. Bulbasaur obediently shot out skinny, green vines from behind his bulb and latched them onto the arms of the opposing Rhydon. Now, Eli would be able to use Bulbasaur to influence where Rhydon went. And since he was a physical attacker, which was bad news for Jobe. Now, Jobe was left with a difficult decision. His Rhydon knew no special attacks, so he had no range to distance himself from Eli and make the vines retract. His Rhydon did know Megahorn, which would deal serious damage to Bulbasaur, but that attack would do no good if he could not rush the dinosaur and attack him. Jobe decided that he would have to rush the dinosaur and hope for the best, as he had no other options left for him. Jobe clenched his teeth again before making another decision to attack.

"Rhydon, hang in there! Use Megahorn and try to push through the vines! I believe in you!" bellowed Jobe. Rhydon pushed forward, resisting the force that was pushed against his shoulders. Rhydon continued to make small, incremental progress towards Bulbasaur. Eli judged that he moved a foot every few seconds, so it would take him quite a while to move the 20 feet that he had left between himself and Bulbasaur. Rhydon's brute force was making quite a bit of progress against Eli's vines, but Eli knew how he could keep Rhydon back and away from Bulbasaur for a little longer. If he blasted the plated beast back, then he would be able to buy the dinosaur more time and wear Rhydon out even more. Eli decided that he would let Rhydon get a little closer before attacking, as the more time that he let Rhydon rush forwards the more worn out he got. Eli waited a few moments and took that time to observe the battlefield. Eli knew that if he won the 8th gym badge this way, that he would be satisfied. However, he was also worried about Dragonite's arm and how the symptoms would affect his battles from here on out. Eli pulled himself out of this deep train of thought and commanded Bulbasaur to fire back.

"Now Syntha, use Energy Ball again to push Rhydon back! Make sure to keep him at a distance!" shouted Eli. Bulbasaur pulled a green orb of energy from his jaws and shot it out, smashing it into Rhydon. Eli knew that this attack put Rhydon on low health, as he took longer to get up than the last time he was hit. Both Jobe and Eli knew that this battle was almost over, and Jobe seemed to stop giving commands to his Pokemon. He knew that Eli could now finish the battle whenever he wanted, and that there was no chance that he could make a comeback in the battle. Eli decided to give the final command after Rhydon had gotten up. "Syntha, finish the battle! Release your grip on Rhydon!" shouted Eli. Eli knew that the vines were the only thing keeping Rhydon standing. When Bulbasaur's vines retracted, Rhydon fell to the ground with a thud, signifying the end of the battle and the victory if the final gym battle. Jobe reached for his pocket and retracted Rhydon back into his Pokeball with a beam of wavy, red light. Then, Eli did the same with his Bulbasaur, allowing the courageous Pokemon to rest up for a while, as Eli knew that he would be needing him soon. Jobe then approached Eli and extended his arm for a handshake. Eli shook his hand as Jobe fired up a conversation.

"Very well done Eli. I am both surprised and proud of the effort and determination that you showed out on the field. Now, I present you with this," commented Jobe. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a shiny object that resembled a boulder. "This is the Gaea Badge, and it is the last badge in the Perodia Region. This entitles you to enter the Pokemon League and face the Elite 4 and Champion, if you make it that far. I wish you luck in your future battles, and I look forward to meeting up with you sometime soon," finished Jobe. Eli smiled and thanked Jobe for the battle before walking back to the Pokemon Center, where he would heal his Pokemon and look deeper into the case of Dragonite's arm. When he arrived at the Pokemon Center, he handed Nurse Joy 5 Pokeballs, keeping the 6th for himself. She plopped the 5 Pokemon on a healing machine, and told Eli that it would take a while for her to heal up the Pokemon. Then, he pulled out his Dragonite and released it from its Pokeball. The large, winged beast was not looking as powerful as he was before, and Eli knew that it was from his injury. Dragonite was holding his right arm in vain, and Eli knew that this was no normal battle scar. He looked at Nurse Joy who cleared her throat before telling Eli about what she thought of the injury.

"Well, from what I can determine, your Dragonite broke his arm in the last battle. Don't worry, it is free of charge to fix, but it may take a while to heal. We'll bring him into advanced care for more treatment, but you should be back on the road by tomorrow," finished Nurse Joy. Relieved, Eli went back to his dorm room where he could enjoy the tranquility of sleep and rest away his fatigue that he had collected in battle.

End of Chapter 84


	85. Chapter 85

Chapter 85: Reverting

Eli was awoken in the middle of the night by a loud crash that Eli could feel from the outside of the Pokemon Center. He rolled out of bed with the haze of fatigue still clouding his vision and looked out of the window. He could see that there was a heavy machine sitting outside the door, and there seemed to be a hole of darkness that looked like it had no end in sight, almost like an abyss. Eli knew what this was, and why it was here. So far, Team Eclipse had gone after Legendary Pokemon that were weak to dark type Pokemon, and there was only 1 more that fit the bill. Giratina had warned Eli that Team Eclipse might try to pull something like this, and he was right. Team Eclipse had just opened a gate to the Distortion World, where they would prod Giratina until he decided to come out of the Distortion World. Eli pulled on a fresh shirt and grabbed his shoes as he hobbled out into the Pokemon Center Lobby where he demanded that he was given his Arcanine back from the healing machine. Eli didn't care if Arcanine wasn't fully healed, he needed to put an end to Team Eclipse once and for all. The sleepy Nurse Joy lackadaisically handed Eli the correct Pokeball as he sprinted outside and ran into a mosh pit of Team Eclipse members. He looked into the crowd and saw that Atlas was already in the action, and he was trying to make his way to the portal with his Aggron. It was clear that Atlas was trying as hard as he could to make his way through, but Team Eclipse had secured a perimeter around the area and had all their grunts holding off an attack. Eli was sure that him and Atlas could not take down Team Eclipse, and that they would need more help before launching a full assault. Right now, even though he was trying, Atlas was doing little to no harm to Team Eclipse, and they still were continuing to mess with Giratina. So, Eli decided to call out to an old friend who he needed to turn right now. Even though he was a backstabber, Eli knew that there had to be some good left inside of him. Eli was going to call out to Isaac, even though he had hurt Eli and Atlas so bad. He opened his mouth and called out to Isaac, who was most likely towards the middle of the action.

"Isaac! Isaac!" shouted Eli. The white-haired boy turned around in surprise, wondering who could be calling his name. When he saw that Eli was calling him, he scowled and turned back to what he was working on. However, Eli was way more persistent than that. He opened his mouth again and called towards Isaac, this time trying to hit him where it hurt- his emotions. "Isaac! You don't want to do this, trust me! This is the end all-be all! I know that there is still good in you! Your Wartortle believed that too, but you gave up on him! You have a chance to redeem yourself here! Help us right now! Please!" cried Eli. Eli thought that Isaac may not have been able to hear him over the roaring of the machines, but the cloaked figure turned around once more and looked at Eli in a much more serious manor. He seemed more intent on the offer this time, as his face seemed to soften as Eli continued to call out to him. Atlas even looked up from his battle as Isaac continued to recount the offer. Then, he pushed the white cloak that resided on his shoulders back and ran through the crowd, his skinny limbs pushing unsuspecting grunts out of the way to join his former colleagues in the Cobalt Town Crew. Isaac walked over to Eli with a softened look on his face, and he looked guilty thinking about all the actions he had committed against society in his time with Team Eclipse.

"Eli," started Isaac. He could not get many words out at once, partially because of all the energy he used when he had run over, but also because of the tears that had begun to rush towards his eyes. He wiped his eyes and continued to Eli. "I'm so sorry about what I've done. I know that I've done wrong, and I'm here to help," finished Isaac. Eli silently pointed towards where Atlas was fighting, and Isaac got the message. He pulled out a Pokeball that he had strapped on to his belt and called it out into battle. "Houndoom! Come and out and avenge all the Pokemon that we have left behind!" cried Isaac. Eli smiled as the dark hound pounced on to the field, much to the dismay of all the members of Team Eclipse on the field. Eli could tell that they wanted a piece of that Houndoom, as it had once fought alongside them and now worked for the enemy. Eli then sent out his Pokemon that he would use in the fight, Arcanine, as he was Eli's ace to take down Team Eclipse. Atlas then escaped from his fight and sent out his Charizard. Now, there were 3 aces up against a hoard of Team Eclipse grunts, and this did not look like an even match for Team Eclipse. They needed to draw Giratina out quick, as the reunited Cobalt Town Crew was coming after them, hard.

End of Chapter 85


	86. Chapter 86

Chapter 86: Team Eclipse's Last Stand!

Eli, Atlas, and Isaac all stood in a row with their Pokemon directly in front of them. These three trainers, known as the Cobalt Town Crew, were here with one sole purpose on this night: to put a stop to Team Eclipse. Team Eclipse's grunts still held a perimeter around the portal to the Distortion World, with their black and blue uniforms blending in to the twilight that still hazed the battlefield. Even though it was the middle of the night, Eli could still see what was happening in the middle of the action. There seemed to be two machines that looked like miniature radio towers were shooting waves of blue electricity into what appeared to be a rock that shined with the moonlight. Behind this rock was the portal to the Distortion World where Team Eclipse was trying to lure Giratina out of his abyss. Eli knew that if Giratina was captured by Team Eclipse that he would be the first one that they would come after, mainly because of how meddlesome he had been throughout the course of the process. However, Atlas and Isaac would be there to back Eli up. Hopefully, the Cobalt Town Crew could stop Team Eclipse before any of their plans began to work. Eli nudged Atlas to make the first move, as he could serve as the best distraction so that Houndoom and Eli could hack and slash on the front lines. Atlas got the cue and pointed towards the battlefield with a mean look on his face.

"Alright Charizard! Go and show Team Eclipse what you've got! Go to the skies and use flamethrower to rain fire upon them!" shouted Atlas. Charizard roared and jumped a few feet off the ground before his large wings thrusted his large body off the ground. Then, when he was far above the ground, he shot a column of fire out of his opened jaws down onto the ground. Team Eclipse grunts pulled out their Pokemon to try and down the attacker, but they did so unsuccessfully. Eli knew that now was the time to strike, so he readied himself to make the first move. However, Isaac pulled him aside as he was about to call out to his Arcanine. He got on his tiptoes and whispered a sentence into Eli's ear.

"Eli, make sure to use a fire-type attack on my Houndoom. Just trust me on this one," mumbled Isaac. Eli was startled by this sentence, as he had just earned his friend back now. Why would he want to attack him? Eli's mind wandered to various different instances of why he would want to attack his friend's Houndoom right now? Suddenly, he remembered why he would want to attack Isaac's Pokemon. Houndoom had the ability Flash Fire, which boosted his attack power so that he could destroy his opponents. Eli knew that this would be what Isaac wanted, so he called out to his Arcanine to execute the command.

"Yippers, use Flare Blitz on Houndoom now!' shouted Eli. Arcanine turned towards his ally and engulfed his body in flames. He then pounced from his back legs onto the dark-type hound to that he could garner the benefit from the attack. The look on the Team Eclipse grunts faces was hilarious to Eli. They all looked like someone had committed a murder in front of them, as they were so shaken up by the last few minutes' events. First, Isaac, the ace in the hole for Team Eclipse, turns on them to fight with his old friends. Then, his friends send a Charizard into the air and launch a barrage of fire on them. Then, this meddlesome kid attacks his friend who was just his enemy and is now his ally. However, Eli and Isaac both knew that this plan would help destroy most of the forces that Team Eclipse had laid out. Now, Isaac had his chance to show Team Eclipse that he was stronger without them.

"Team Eclipse you bastards, this one's for you! I will show you why you guys are so wrong, and you will regret playing me into your hands! Houndoom, use Nasty Plot and then Dark Pulse on the crowd, now!" bellowed Isaac in his raspy voice. Isaac's Houndoom began to growl in a deep, threatening tone and a dark aurora began to surround him. Eli was able to recognize this move as Nasty Plot, as it would double Houndoom's special attack, making Dark Pulse even more powerful. Many members of Team Eclipse began to reach for their Pokeballs and throw their weaker dark-type Pokemon out onto the field to try and resist Houndoom's attack. However, Eli knew that there was no stopping this one. Opposing Pokemon such as Mandibuzz, Zwelious, and Mighteyana shot their attacks at Houndoom, but they were all absorbed into the inferno that was the power of Houndoom. Finally, Isaac called out a command that would finish Team Eclipse. "Houndoom, fire now!" shouted Isaac. Houndoom shot out a massive blast of dark energy from his unhinged jaws into the line of crooks and their Pokemon that stood in between Isaac and Mr. Mestus, the lead organizer of Team Eclipse. The blast rocked all people nearby, and Eli had to cover his ears from the loud roar that was unleashed. All nearby targets were instantaneously dropped to the floor, leaving less than 10 Team Eclipse grunts conscious. The blast also traveled into the Distortion World Portal which Mr. Mestus was standing by. He wheeled around and looked at the three trainers that stood on the ground in front of him as Charizard returned from his aerial assault mission. Eli smiled, as he knew that Team Eclipse had been beat. Eli was ready to make a bold move and approach Mr. Mestus, but he was stopped by a loud roar that came from the portal that was 50 yards away from him. Eli knew that this meant Giratina, the Renegade Pokemon, had been summoned to the overworld. This was no good for Eli, and he pulled Isaac and Atlas back towards an industrial building that might hold them out for a while. As soon as the trio slid behind the building, Eli could hear screams coming from the other side of the wall. He was tempted to look, but he knew that it would be for his own good that he did not. He pulled out his watch to see what time it was, but the second hand was not moving. Either the battery had run dry or Giratina had frozen time around them to spare the lives of the civilians. Eli tried to move his head, but it seemed like he was frozen and he had lost control. By the time he managed to regain control of his motions, there was a crater that was left in the middle of town. Eli ran towards it with Isaac and Atlas, and they were astounded by the destruction that had just come. Eli made his way into the center of the crater and picked up the rock that was at the middle of the portal. It glowed with the moonlight, and it almost seemed to dance like there was a fire inside. He decided to save his friends some despair by tucking the rock inside his pocket. This would have driven Atlas crazy, as it would have been the only thing left behind. Eli climbed back up to his friends before he decided that he needed to go off to bed. He smiled and shook hands with his two pals before going back into the Pokemon Center to try and sleep away the traumatic events that had just occurred.

End of Chapter 86


	87. Chapter 87

Chapter 87: Backtrack

Eli awoke the next morning with the sun slashing through the thin blinds that were supposed to shield the sleeping customers from waking up too early. Eli rubbed his skinny hands up against his face, trying to wipe away the fatigue that still crept over him from the night before. He rolled over in bed to check the time, not wanting to get out of bed just yet. He looked at the green, illuminated lights that displayed the time and saw that it was 11:28 AM. He had overslept, most likely because of the events that had occurred the day before. Eli rolled back over and reached into his black backpack that was sitting on the floor to grab his map of Perodia. He noticed that he had walked himself into a dead end, and that he would have to go all the way back to Iridium Town in order to head to the Elite 4. After Iridium Town he would need to hit up Route 4 before he got to Thulium Town. Then, he could just go in a straight shot before arriving in the clutches of his Elite 4 Challenge. Eli didn't want to go all the way back through the way he had come, so he had devised an alternate plan in order to get back to Iridium Town faster. If he could fly on his Dragonite and go over the forest, he could easily get back to Iridium Town in half the time. He wished that he could fly all the way to Thulium Town, but he knew that it was not a safe idea. He needed to know where he was going, and even with a map that would be a difficult task. He decided that he would just fly through the forest and make his way back to Iridium Town, where he could easily continue his journey- as soon as he got out of bed. After many long minutes of waiting, he rolled out of bed and plopped his feet on the floor. He quickly changed clothes in anticipation of the coming day, as it was sure to bring a lot of excitement to the table. He made sure that he lumped all of his clothes into his backpack and that he was carrying his PokeDex, he walked out into the Pokemon Center lobby, where many people were already on their lunch breaks. He walked up to Nurse Joy to retrieve his Pokemon, and after successfully doing so, he took a look at the local paper. Their was a picture of Isaac on the front, and there was an article pinned to the side. Eli picked the paper up to take a look at the story, and he was glad he did. He began at the first paragraph.

_"Last night, around 3 o'clock in the morning, this 15 year old turned himself in to the Teraium City Police. He claimed to be one of the lead admins to Team Eclipse, the criminal organization that has been terrorizing the Perodia Region. He told the police that he was the last Team Eclipse member left standing. He also said that Eclipse members were harbored in the Eclipse Enterprises building, which was run by Mr. Mestus, the famed CEO. Isaac, the member of Team Eclipse, said that Giratina was the one who put a large stop to this, but there were also some anonymous heroes that came and saved the day. The Eclipse Enterprises building was found in rubble this morning, and Isaac's option looks like it would be the best option. Many of the police are doubtful that Isaac is telling the truth, and they expect that he will be ruled insane. He is charged with over 100 counts of Pokemon kidnapping and 3 charges of assault."_

Eli saw that this was the end of the article, and that he may as well be on his way. He smiled as he knew that Isaac was out of the hands of evil, and that he had turned himself in and paid the price for his actions. Eli decided that he may as well move on from this, and that he should go take a ride on his Dragonite. He exited the sliding glass doors of the Pokemon Center and walked into the harsh mid-morning sunlight. He released his Dragonite from his Pokeball and looked at it intently. The large beast smiled back at Eli, but still had a bandage wrapped around his arm. Eli recited his plan to Dragonite, who was satisfied with the script. He knelt down so that Eli could climb upon his back, and after Eli climbed aboard, shot off into the sky with Eli on his back.

The sky was one of the most beautiful terrains that Eli had ever traveled across. He could see all of the people below, even if they just looked like ants from this height. He could see vast forests everywhere, and many wild Pokemon roaming the fields below. Eli could also now see the Pokemon in the skies as well. He snapped pictures as quickly as he could with his PokeDex, adding them to his expansive collection that he had already seen. Eli's hair bristled in the cold, flowing wind as he flew overhead, and he was excited at the adventures that awaited him. He smiled, as he knew that he was now descending over Iridium Town, where he could now continue into the final stretch of the adventure.

When Eli finally landed in Iridium Town, he was only a few minutes from the entrance to the next abyss that he would be venturing through- Route 14.

End of Chapter 87


	88. Chapter 88

Chapter 88: Thulium Town!

Eli stepped off of his perch atop Dragonite and pushed his tense foot onto the floor. The ride on Dragonite had spurred his passion for curiosity, and now he was ready to venture down an all-new route that he had never explored before. Now it was time to go and explore the confines of Route 4, as it would be a brand new adventure. Eli reached into his black backpack and pulled out his Pokeball that was home to Dragonite. He returned him to the cozy confines of the Pokeball before walking through the roads of Iridium Town, where he had been just a couple of days before. Eli knew that this route would be the last easy one that he would encounter on his journey. The rest of the routes would be as hard as any gym leader that he had faced so far, and it scared Eli to think that he could lose all of his Pokemon on Routes 13, 14, and 15. Routes 13 and 14 were known as the marathon routes, mainly because there was no town in between them. This made it very difficult for trainers to make it through alive. It would be a true test of how well Eli could delegate his Pokemon. By the time Eli got finished thinking about the marathon routes, he was at the edge of Iridium Town and ready to jump on the last freebie route of his journey in Perodia.

The landscape of the Route was marvelous to Eli. Unlike all the other routes that Eli had seen before, which had trees lining the sides and a dirt road in the middle, this one provided a heck of a lot more character. Unlike the others, this one had almost no trees. There was the occasionally birch tree from time to time, but other than that the landscape was barren. Sand covered the sides of the area, like there used to be a desert here before humanity rolled in. Cacti were impaled into the wavy ground every couple of yards, and It was a nice change of pace for Eli as he walked down the hallway. As Eli traversed the route, he thought about what he should do with his Pokemon that resided in the box. He knew that they would need a home, since Eli would most likely not be using them in his challenge of the Elite 4. He had Marowak and Heracross in his box, and both of them were powerful physical attackers that could make a difference on any team. Suddenly, Eli remembered that Atlas only had 4 Pokemon with him- Charizard, Slowbro, the Absol that Eli had given him, and Aggron. This way, the remaining members of the Cobalt Town Crew all had full teams at their disposal, which would help Atlas after he obtained the next gym badge. Eli continued to pace through the sandy route when he suddenly came upon the exit to the path. He was surprised that he didn't see any Pokemon, but he attributed that to his lack of focus and concentration that he showed when passing through the route. Eli then walked through the gate and into Thulium City, the next stop on his journey.

When he entered the boundaries of Thulium City, he began to realize that this town was the beginning of the final stretch of his journey. Eli could tell by the look in the trainer's eyes here that they were elite, and that they were the best of the best. There were strategy shops planted every block, and there were also small shops that specialized in selling advanced items for those entering the Pokemon League. This was the testing and training ground for all the trainers who were attempting to make a run through the marathon routes, and they were all ready to go. Many of these trainers walked around with at least one of their ace Pokemon, and all of them intimidated Eli with ease. Eli decided that as long as he was in town that he would try to get something done. He set out on a mission to make a new friend and try to find a cure for Dragonite's arm. Eli knew that the latter of the two would be the hardest part, so he set out to do that first and get it done. He paced the freshly paved sidewalks to look for a shop and came upon a shop that went by the name of CUSTOM REMEDIES. Eli opened up the door to the place and let his Dragonite out of its Pokeball so that the clerk could better see the injury. Eli walked straight to the cashier's desk and cleared his throat before initiating the conversation.

"Hello. I am here to see if you have some sort of solution to a problem that I have. My Dragonite suffered a broken arm in the 8th gym battle and he has not been himself ever since. If you have a solution to this problem, that would be a great benefit to me," finished Eli. The clerk looked at Eli and then darted his glance over to Dragonite's crippled arm. He then returned his attention to Eli and figured out what he could do for him.

"Well kid, it looks like your dragon got dinged pretty bad. However, I have this crème for you that may help you out. Since he broke his arm, he is most likely a physical attacker. Am I right?" asked the clerk. Eli nodded as the salesman held out the crème to Eli. Eli grasped the glass jar in his hands and looked back up at the salesman, waiting for him to continue. "This should do the trick. It helps numb the pain that would be caused by the injury. If you apply it to the injury, then you should be OK for quite a while. I'll give you all we have- 3 jars- as it is hard to get it in stock. I will tell you that even though it numbs the pain, it won't prevent further injury. It will still take time to heal, but it should be good to fight," finished the clerk. Eli paid for the jars of the substance and walked out of the shop, ready to go and find a friend.

END OF CHAPTER 88


	89. Chapter 89

Chapter 89: The Routes From Hell

After not being able to find a friend out of all the elite trainers in the city, Eli walked from the mosh pit of trainers that swirled out from the middle of the town and found his way to the Pokemon Center, where he would need to drop off some of his other Pokemon so that Atlas would be able to accommodate a full team. Eli knew that from talking to the other elite trainers, that you would utilize all 6 Pokemon on your team to make it through what they called 'The Routes from Hell'. Eli was nervous when they called it that, mainly because he had had enough experience with Pokemon from the underworld for one adventure. However, he also knew that they were calling it this because of the difficulty of the Pokemon that Eli would have to face. His last route was the easiest one that he had encountered so far, and that may be a signal of the lesser difficulty being overhyped, but it might also be the calm before the storm, so to speak. Eli drew his mind away from all the thoughts about the routes from hell as he opened up the heavy, sliding doors to the Pokemon Center and made his way inside. When he arrived inside, he realized that this was no normal Pokemon Center. All of the other ones that Eli had seen on his adventure had been cheery and youthful, but this one seemed like a whole different animal. This Pokemon Center held a more serious demeanor, one that was akin to the attitudes of the elite trainers that mingled outside. It was much more industrial than the rest of the Pokemon Centers, and it had the instant heal machines that once lingered in Kanto and Johto before they developed the technology to revive Pokemon that had fainted. Eli wished that Perodia had that power, but he also knew that the country would have to work hard as a whole to get the Pokemon Centers enough money in order to buy the machines. Right now, the impoverished state of Perodia did not have advanced healing machines, so it sometimes took hours to heal Pokemon. However, Eli walked over to the PC and withdrew his Heracross and Marowak, both of whom came darting through a tube and landed next to Eli. Eli slid them out of the tube and smiled at the two Pokeballs he held in his hand. They had helped him on his journey, so it kinda sucked to let them go. However, he knew that it was the right thing to do, and that it helped a friend who was in need. He walked over to the snackbar, where Atlas would inevitably go when he arrived, and put them inside a plastic bag labeled 'FOR ATLAS ONLY' before walking off. He smiled, knowing that he and his friend would be ready to take on the league.

When he arrived at the enterance to Route 13, he knew that he was in for a ride. He could see charred marks on the ground where people had been scorched by fire types, but there was also craters where an Electrode could have self-destructed and left a hole. There were caves that opened up straight into the ground, and they fell into pools of water. Eli knew that there were probably Pokemon springing out of every nook and cranny of this route, so he chose to use Arcanine first. Arcanine had the moves- Crunch, Flare Blitz, Close Combat, and Extreemespeed- to take down almost any Pokemon that came his way. Plus, Extremespeed had the agility to run over many of the craters in the ground without falling. Eli could then have the option to go and slug it out in a fight with a fierce wild Pokemon, or he could hope aboard his Arcanine if things went sour and ride off, away from the danger. After he let his Pokemon out and into the route, he was greeted by a low, growling sound coming from a neighboring bush. Eli looked over and saw what Pokemon was challenging him to a fight. Eli could see the white, poofy ears of a Herdier that kept stalking the pathway for trainers to fight. Eli knew that this would be one tough Pokemon to fight, even though Arcanine would be able to severely damage it using Close Combat. Arcanine, without Eli ever having to give a command, sprang into action and used the move that he adopted from Heracross- Close Combat. He reared back onto 2 legs and harassed Herdier with an array of punches with his furry paws. Herdier seemed to take heavy damage from the attack and scampered away with his tail between his legs. Eli smiled, as this route might not be as difficult as he thought. He petted his Arcanine on the muzzle and walked further down the route, where the terrain became much more difficult. Eli and Arcanine pushed their way up a rocky terrain and pushed off the pebbles that supported the mountain. Finally, when Eli reached the top, he saw why everyone decided that these twin routes were so hard. Eli could see all the Pokemon that roamed the route, and he knew that this would one tough challenge to handle. Eli looked at Arcanine, who looked back up at Eli with his large, glossy eyes. Eli then bent over and whispered to him, asking if he was ready. At that, Arcanine unleashed a massive howl that echoed across the valleys of the route, telling all the wild Pokemon that this duo was different. They were not going down on this route. Not now, at least.

End of Chapter 89


	90. Chapter 90

Chapter 90: We Ride!

Eli looked upon the battlefield below him where hundreds of wild Pokemon clashed with only a few trainers who were trying to make it through to Silicon Town. Eli knew that this would be one heck of a fight if he made it through, but he was determined to make it past this challenge. He had come too far to fail, and this route would not take any of his Pokemon. Eli looked at Arcanine and began formulating a plan, but he was interrupted by a familiar voice that rang out from behind him. Eli turned around to see Atlas, running alongside his newly acquired Heracross. Eli smiled as he saw the two partners smiling as they made their way through one of the most treacherous routes in Perodia. Atlas then came upon the mountain where Eli and Arcanine were standing. When he looked off at all the wild Pokemon that were swarming the route, Atlas' jaw dropped and his eyes became wide. Eli laughed when Heracross mimicked his expression, ensuring Eli that they had bonded sufficiently during their short time together. Eli then cleared his throat, which successfully drew Atlas out of his daze. Atlas then looked at Eli, and without having to say anything at all, was able to communicate to Eli. This was Atlas' way of asking if Eli was ready, and you could be sure that he was. Eli then called out to his Arcanine for the first batch of assistance.

"Yippers, use your duplication Double Team now! And have your clones use Flare Blitz and take out some of the wild Pokemon in the crowd!" shouted Eli. Arcanine howled, drawing attention to him and grabbing the target of more than 100 wild Pokemon. After the Arcanines had taken off, Eli had the chance to take his full plan into effect. "Yippers, let me hop on your back and use Extreemespeed now! Ride through as much as you can!" shouted Eli. Eli jumped onto his Arcanine's back and grabbed two fists-full of fur, which he would use as his handles. Then, he ducked down and nudged Arcanine with his foot, signifying that he was ready. Arcanine took off down the mountain so fast that Eli could see the slipstreams that were being created. Eli could also see many of the Arcanines running into hoards of wild Pokemon and wiping many of them out. This made the path much easier to travel for Eli, and it allowed Atlas to get a running start as well. Eli nudged Arcanine a few seconds later when all of the other Arcanines had been extinguished, and the large dog came to a stop. Eli looked all around him, and he saw all the destruction that his attack had really done. Many of the wild Pokemon had been knocked out and weakened by the attack. When Eli got off his Arcanine, he judged that he was roughly halfway through the onslaught of wild Pokemon, and that Arcanine had taken quite a beating from the last attack. Now, there was another horde of Pokemon looking to snuff Eli out. Eli knew that it would take even more determination to make it through this task, but that it would also be really good training for Arcanine. Eli looked at the Pokemon around him to try and get a reading on what move he should use. There were a group of Kangaskhan, a few Ampharos, a Rapidash, a hoard of Machokes, and a cluster of Elektross. There seemed to be no good answer for which move to use on the Pokemon, but luckily, Atlas aided him again, who came in guns-a-blazing with his Heracross. He was using Close Combat on everything that he could catch with his Heracross, and every knock-out boosted his attack making each hit from there on out stronger. Eli knew that this would take out a ton of Pokemon, so he stepped forward and called out another command to his Arcanine. "Yippers! Show these guys how strong you really are! Fire out your Close Combat attack just like Heracross!" bellowed Eli. Arcanine pounced over to his first opponent, an Ampharos, and pummeled it with a barrage of punches on his hind legs. The first Ampharos fell to the ground, and Arcanine moved on to the next one. He continued to barrage and pummel all the surrounding Pokemon, and Eli was happy with the work that he was doing. Eventually, Arcanine could go on no more and Eli returned him to his Pokeball. Arcanine had wiped out more than 50 Pokemon in that sweep, and it was a job well done for such a great companion. Now, it was Eli's turn to mow through the enemy lines with another Pokemon. Eli could see that Atlas' Heracross was about done as well, and that he would have to make a change. Eli decided that the next best route would be to go with Alakazam, as Dragonite was still healing up from his arm injury that had plagued him since the gym battle. Eli knew that he and Atlas could work cooperatively and mow down many of the enemies that still stood in his way. "Go Houdini!" shouted Eli, as he pulled the Pokeball out of his backpack, and in one swift motion, threw it out onto the battlefield. Eli looked at Alakazam, who read his mind and communicated it to Atlas without ever saying a word. Atlas gave Eli a 'that's cool shit' look before returning his Heracross and sending out his Charizard. Now, it was Eli's turn to set up for Atlas, who would easily mow down the helpless Pokemon that were thrown into the air. "Houdini, lift as many Pokemon as you can up into the air and hold them there so that Charizard can finish them!" cried Eli. Now, Atlas screamed out for his Charizard to complete phase 2 of the plan. Charizard lifted his large body off the ground and shot an array of fireballs onto the floating enemies, clearing a path towards the last town before the Elite 4: Silicon Town.

End of Chapter 90


	91. Chapter 91

Chapter 91: Silicon Town

Eli and Atlas walked together through the gates that signified the origin of the final town before the obstacle of the Elite 4. When the two companions walked inside the city limits, they were surprised by the discreetness of the city. There seemed to be only a few large buildings, one of them being the Pokemon Center, and the fresh concrete roads led to smaller shacks that were lived in by the city's inhabitants. Eli felt that this was a city that belonged somewhere else, not here. He felt like there should be a big city here, but this one was here instead. Eli looked at Atlas, who looked like he held similar feelings. Atlas decided that he was going to go and explore the city, so Eli decided to go to the Pokemon Center and heal his Pokemon up in preparation for the last route in Perodia- Route 15. Eli found his way to the easily visible Pokemon Center and opened the sliding glass door, opening up a safe haven for Eli and his Pokemon. He walked across the tile floor and handed his Pokemon to Nurse Joy. He handed her 5 Pokeballs, keeping Dragonite for himself. Then, he let out his Dragonite into the Pokemon Center lobby to inspect his arm and apply some of the crème that he had bought.

"Come here Buddy. Let's take a look at your arm," soothed Eli. Dragonite plopped down his large butt on the floor of the lobby and allowed Eli to unwrap the old bandaging from his arm. Eli was appalled at what the injury looked like. There was a large, purple lump that was sticking out from his arm. Eli tried to nudge the lump to see how Dragonite reacted, and the large giant pulled his arm away, protecting it from the touch. Eli knew that Dragonite would not be in fighting condition in this shape, so Eli pulled out his crème that he had purchased from his bag and unhinged the jar. Inside, there was a beige colored crème that looked like a gel. Eli stuck his finger in the jar and was greeted by the cold substance as it stuck to his fingers. Eli then needed to get Dragonite to come near him and allow him to add the substance. "Come here Buddy. It's OK. This stuff will make your arm. You do want to get back in fighting condition, don't you?" challenged Eli. Dragonite responded to Eli by scooting forward and sticking out his arm. However, he also looked away as Eli rubbed the crème over the wound that Dragonite acquired while fighting Flygon. Eli felt better about Dragonite's arm, and the large beast seemed to feel better about it as well. Eli then re-wrapped the bandage around his arm to help suppress the wound, and Eli and Dragonite were all ready to go. Eli knew that his Pokemon would not be ready to go for a while, so he found an empty table and grabbed a seat for Dragonite and himself. Eli then pulled the map that he had brought at the start of his adventure out of his backpack and set it out onto the table. Eli looked across the map, and saw that there was nothing on the map of Perodia that he had missed. While looking over the old areas, he reminisced about the older memories that he had seen on his journey. He looked at Tridium Town, and remembered his combination of using Leech Seed and a water attack to earn him his first gym badge. Eli opened up his pouch that he kept his gym badges in and aligned them across the table, placing the badges to the corresponding town that he received them in. While he was sitting there, he took a moment to remember all the Pokemon that he had lost on his journey. He had lost Darryl, the Diglett that he had obtained before the electric gym, and his Lapras, Drake, to the crooks during the fight with Team Eclipse. Eli knew that he had only had to go through a few tragedies on his journey, but he also knew that these tragedies would be held close to his heart, and that he would still be fighting for them at the Elite 4 matchups. While he was waiting for his Pokemon, he pulled up an article on his PokeDex that he had saved over the Elite 4 matchups. He wasn't entirely sure on how it worked yet, so he decided to read over it to take a sneak peek of the behemoth that he would be up against. Eli focused his eyes on the illuminated screens and began to read the article.

_The Elite 4 is what every Pokemon trainer dreams of reaching someday, but this is a much harder task than your mind makes it out to be. First off, there are 4 main members of the Elite 4. The first one, Trace, specializes in using Rock Type Pokemon. He is a force to be reckoned with, and he knows how to manipulate his opponents by playing mind tricks on them. Since you can only use 3 Pokemon, he can often make you overthink what you are trying to do. His best Pokemon, Aeroactyl, has the potential to wipe out your whole team in an instant. The second member of the Elite 4, Nate, specializes in Fighting type Pokemon that truly can pack a punch. He has a large pool of Pokemon that he can choose from, and he has never used the same combination of Pokemon in a battle. Ever. He is one of the most intimidating forces of the Elite 4, mainly because you literally never see what is coming. The third member of the Elite 4 is widely considered to be the least complex, but still very powerful. Her name is Lucia, and she is specialized in the Psychic type Pokemon. She knows that her opponents will try to combat her Gallade and that they will use the same tactics. She trusts that no one is powerful enough to conquer her Pokemon. The final member of the Elite 4 is Joel, the Grass type member. He uses a combination of strong Pokemon, and can choose from a team of 6 to counter what you've been using. He is a force to be reckoned with, but he is no match for the final trainer in Perodia, Zach. Zach is a master of weather, and he uses the sand to combat his opponents. His Pokemon are strong, but they are still benefited by the sand. The weather makes him almost unbeatable, and one would need more than 3 Pokemon to topple this champion easily. He uses an Excardill, a Breloom, and a Tyranitar. If you wish to challenge the Elite 4, you better be ready!_

Eli finished the article right before Nurse Joy called his name. Eli stood up and retrieved his Pokemon from the nurse and walked out the door, ready to face the challenges that were ahead.

End of Chapter 91


	92. Chapter 92

Chapter 92: The Final Route!

The afternoon sunlight slashed through the thin clouds and burned Eli's eyes. Eli knew that this would be a frontier in his journey, as he was ready to go into the last route of Perodia. Eli walked through the paved roads of Perodia, looking at all the people that were ready to take the same steps as Eli. Eli could see a multitude of powerful Pokemon that roamed next to the trainers. Eli decided that he would let his Arcanine out and look measure his lead Pokemon's strength of the other trainers. Eli could see that there were Pokemon that would fall in a heartbeat to Eli's Arcanine- Shiftry, Venasaur, and Mismagious. However, there were also Pokemon that Arcanine would have a tougher time with such as Rhydon and Nidoking. Eli knew that Arcanine was his best bet against the Elite 4, but he would not be good against many types of Pokemon. Eli walked with his Arcanine to the glimmering gates of goodness known as Route 15, and prepared for the joy that lied ahead.

As Eli walked onto the front of Route 15, he knew that this route was going to be less of a wild Pokemon overhaul and more of a fierce clash of trainers. Eli could see that there were a few punk trainers that were blocking the entrance to Diamond Plateau, the final frontier of the Perodia Region. Eli had his Arcanine out in front of him, pacing the path and making sure that no one could interfere with his trainer. Eli knew that Arcanine was his most powerful and trustworthy Pokemon, making him the star of Eli's team. While Eli walked, he thought about what Pokemon he would use against the first Elite 4 member, Trace, who specialized in Rock type Pokemon. Eli knew that Arcanine might be able to compete if there was a land-locked Rock-type, but Eli decided that it would be better to keep his Pokemon out of the fight. If Dragonite was back to full strength, then he would be able to cancel out Aerodcatyl with ease. However, the other two Pokemon that Trace could use troubled Eli. If they were landlocked, then it would be easier for Eli to win. He could simply use his Bulbasaur and make a Leech Seed barrier and grow his power before he powered through his opponents. Eli knew that he would need more than just Bulbasaur and Dragonite, so he thought of other tactics that he could use to beat his opponents. He knew that he could use Alakazam and manipulate the lower speed of his opponents. Eli knew that this was probably the best method, as Jolteon and Crobat would not do much to the powerful Pokemon. Eli had planned out his entire strategy for battle without one conflict with another trainer. Eli was surprised at first that he had not run into any wild Pokemon, but then he assumed that they had been scared off by the trainers. Eli continued to walk as he thought about the champion battle and what it could entail. Eli knew that Zach liked to use weather, preferably sandstorms, to his advantage. He could instantly use the Sand Stream ability that his Tyranitar could possess and summon up the weather, saving him a turn. Then, he would be able to ride out any attacks and let his best Pokemon, Excadrill, get all set up to sweep the team. Eli knew that he would only be able to use Arcanine on Breloom, and that it was probably not worth using at all. Alakazam would be the best counter for Breloom, while Dragonite may have a chance at stopping the sheer force of Excadrill by matching his power. Tyranitar would most likely fall to Bulbsaur, and those would be the Pokemon that Eli would have to use. Eli was ready to enter Diamond Plateau when he was stopped by the two punk trainers that he had seen earlier. He pushed Eli with his gloved hands and Eli stumbled backwards, causing Arcanine to let loose a low growl. The man laughed at Eli's Pokemon, as his Blastoise pounded his fists together in anger. Eli knew that this would be one tough battle if it happened, so he opted to try and talk his way out of it.

"Look man, I really don't want any trouble. I'm sorry that I ran into you, I was thinking about the Elite 4," said Eli. The man stroked his orange beard and looked back at Eli with his crooked grin. He cracked his knuckles and looked at Eli with his Cheshire Cat grin. Then, he looked at his Blastoise who jumped forward, pouncing onto Arcanine. He then pointed his massive jets downward, ready to blast an attack that would finish Arcanine. However, Eli knew that he would be able to avoid this. He called out to his Arcanine in a superbly confident manner. "Yippers, use Extreemespeed to escape the attack and then use Close Combat to hit him from behind!" cried Eli. Arcanine slipped through the grasp of Blastoise to evade the oncoming attack. Not one second later, a blast of water came from Blastoise's jets. Then, Arcanine came behind the shelled beast and slammed his paws into him so hard that his shell began to crack. Blastoise had just used the move Hydro Cannon, meaning that he had to wait a turn to move again, which only encouraged the onslaught. Arcanine continued to pound Blastoise into the ground until his shell cracked, leaving him open to the final smash from Close Combat. Blastoise was left lying prone on the ground as Eli walked on by with his Arcanine into Diamond Plateau.

End of Chapter 92


	93. Chapter 93

Chapter 93: Entering the League and Exploration!

As soon as Eli entered Diamond Plateau, he was captivated by the landscape that surrounded him. Off to either side, there was jagged cliffs that kept the houses and shops tucked next to the gravel path that Eli was walking on. Over the cliffs, the rambunctious waves smashed into the rocky edges of the plateau, sending subtle rifts through the ground. Eli could tell that the winding path was ascending, and as he looked up, he realized that there was a massive arena that had been placed on the edge of the plateau. Eli knew that this would be the site where he would challenge the Elite 4 members, and hopefully the champion. Eli knew that this would be an extremely tough challenge, and that he would need to be on top of his game in order to make it a contest with even the first of the Elite 4, Trace. Eli also knew that he needed to register for the league challenge before he decided to get all riled up about it. Eli walked alongside his trusty pal, Arcanine, as they walked up the gravel path. Eli rubbed the muzzle of the grateful hound, making sure that his pal was all ready for the Elite 4. Eli knew that Arcanine was his ace as he not only had been around for a long time, but he had a diverse moveset capable of wiping out a large variety of Pokemon that he could meet. However, one Pokemon could not do it all, so Eli would have to rely on the help of others in the group to help get this done. Eli knew that he could count on Dragonite's sheer strength (as long as he was in fighting shape) and Bulbasaur strategy. Eli also knew that Alakazam was pretty reliable, as long as he could keep a distance from his opponents and barrage them with Focus Blasts and Psychics. Crobat and Jolteon were both wild cards. Jolteon was a Pokemon that Eli had not had for very long, but it was still a fierce competitor. Crobat was a good fighter for his size, but Eli was afraid that the bulkier, stronger Pokemon that Crobat would be facing in the Elite 4 would outclass him. Crobat did not have the best moves, but he was quick which made up for quite a lot. Eli was worried that the lack of recent training for both of them could result in disaster, so Eli would need to be cautious when using either of the two. Eli knew that he had many focal points to his team, but just one weak slip and the whole team would be down. Eli then came upon the towering arena where he knew the matchups would take place. He opened the heavy, modern doors and walked inside to a lively lobby.

The lobby was flooded with tourists, many of them wearing Elite 4 t-shirts, and a few of them even holding memorabilia of Zach for him to sign. Even though the champion was not in sight, many people scoured for the man who was a part of the fame. Eli could pick out only a handful of the Pokemon trainers in the crowd, and he knew that these people would be the best around, but Eli knew he could fight with the best of them. Eli then looked above him and saw the skywalk above him, where many tourists walked along the glass floor. While Eli was scouring the area, he also found a table with the sign hanging above it that read 'REGISTRATION'. Eli pushed and dodged his way through the crowd and finally made his way to the table, that was sitting inset into the wall. The woman behind the desk snapped to an upright position in her chair and looked at Eli before iterating a almost too-cheery message.

"Hello! Would you like to enter in the Elite 4 challenge? It is free of charge as long as you have earned all 8 gym badges!" exclaimed the lady. Eli nodded his head and reached into his black Pokemon World Tournament backpack and grabbing the fleece pouch that he kept his gym badges contained in. Eli dumped them out onto the table and lined them up in order, making sure that they were all in the correct format. The lady then stood out of her seat and picked up a small machine that fit in the confines of her pudgy hand- most likely to check to see if the badges had been forged. Eli knew that all of these badges had been obtained legitimately, so he had almost no fear that these were passible. However, there was still the nightmare scenario where one of Eli's badges had been faked by one of the gym leaders out of resentment. However, Eli knew that this was not a likely scenario, so he exhaled and waited for the lady to meander the wand over the metallic scraps. When all the badges had been legitimized, the lady punched a ticket and handed it to Eli. "There you are sir. Here is your ticket to be admitted to the Elite 4 challenge tomorrow at 6 PM. You need to show up earlier, however, to make sure that you know all the rules and are here for the Pokemon selection. Good luck!" finished the woman. Eli smiled and pulled his ticket from the woman's hands, tucking it into the back pocket of his backpack. Eli knew that this event was occurring at 6 PM because they televised all Elite 4 challenges. Eli would make it on national television! Eli smiled and walked back down the road to the Pokemon Center, where he would make some procrastination preparations for his battle tomorrow. Eli knew that this would be the biggest battle of his life.

End of Chapter 93


	94. Chapter 94

Chapter 94: Locked and Loaded!

Eli walked down the winding gravel road while pondering all of the events that would be coming tomorrow. Eli could see the sun dropping down over the horizon, and he knew that it would be a good time to head back to the Pokemon Center to crash for the night. While Eli was walking down the road, a person dressed in a suit with a cameraman positioned to his right stopped him dead in his tracks. They ran towards Eli, heading downhill as fast as they could. When they finally reached Eli, he stuck a microphone in his face and beckoned for his cameraman to turn on the camera. Then, the reporter stepped into the shot and asked Eli a question.

"Hello! I understand that you must be the challenger for tomorrow's Elite 4 match, am I correct?" asked the man. Eli nodded as the man in the suit put on a cheesy smile. Then, he asked his next question, despite Eli's array of confusion. "What are your thoughts on the challenge tomorrow?" asked the man. The microphone was then thrust back into his face and was looked at to answer the question. Eli looked blankly into the camera for a moment before the wheels in his head began to turn, generating an answer to give to the news station. Eli knew that this was Perodia 7, the leading news station in all of Perodia. They covered all news from the region, and they were able to broadcast all of their findings to the entire region. Eli cleared his throat before giving them a half-assed answer.

"Well, I'm excited for the match tomorrow to say the least. I know that it will be a challenge, undoubtedly the biggest one that I've faced so far, and I hope to put on one heck of a show," finished Eli. The cameraman then barged in and knocked Eli out of the shot before signing off. He shook Eli's hand and walked off down the road. Eli was so confused by the incident that he walked back down the road and found his way to the Pokemon Center where he opened the door and found his way inside. A small girl who had likely just seen the news story greeted Eli at the Pokemon Center. Eli waved to her and walked on by, claiming his dorm room in the Pokemon Center. When Eli got inside his dorm room, he set his backpack down and thought about the match ahead of him tomorrow, against Trace. Eli could only use 3 Pokemon against Trace, so he would have to choose wisely. Eli knew that he would need to use Alakazam, who was fast and powerful enough to make a dent in the defenses that Trace could throw at him. Eli was could also use Bulbasaur, who would be super-effective against his opponents. He knew that Bulbasaur was undersized, but he also knew that he could drain the power of his enemies using Leech Seed. That aspect of his game alone guaranteed him a spot on his 3 main Pokemon for the next battle. Now, Eli would have to choose from the last of him 4 Pokemon to join the team. Arcanine was a definite no, and Crobat would also have to sit this one out. That meant that Eli would have to choose from either Jolteon or Dragonite, and the choice was clear on who was the most powerful. Jolteon would be weak against the ground type attacks that Trace could dish out, and Dragonite would be immune to them. Eli knew that he would have to choose Dragonite, even if it was a tough pill to swallow. Dragonite's arm had been making a steady recovery, but Eli knew that it would revert back to its painful state if Dragonite took a bad hit. Eli hoped that Dragonite's injury would cause him to be more efficient with his power. Dragonite had never been very efficient with his power, and he usually had to do a lot more work for a massive amount of damage. Eli knew that if he could not dismiss these thoughts soon enough that he would never get to sleep, so he shifted his mind away from that subject and rolled into the small bed that the Pokemon Center had provided him. Within minutes, he was sleeping soundly, waiting for the final marks of his adventure to begin.

The next day seemed to be gone in a matter of minutes to Eli. He had slept in during the morning, waking up just in time to grab some lunch before going to the Pokemon League stadium, where he sat in on a press conference that the League had required him to attend. He was able to answer some questions about his journey before meeting all the members of the Elite 4. Trace was surprisingly short, standing at about 5'10", which was only a couple of inches taller than Eli. Nate, the second member of the Elite 4, was a scrawny guy with a gruff beard. He stood at a taller height than Trace, but was still very short. Lucia was the third member of the Elite 4, and she was the youngest of the bunch. She was only 22, but she had the fighting spirit and experience that made her seem older. Joel was the most intimidating of the bunch. He stood at about 6'4" and was wearing a cut-off t-shirt and faded blue jeans. His muscles represented how his Pokemon were: strong. Finally, Eli was taken into a modern looking room where he dropped off his 6 Pokemon. From there, he selected his 3 Pokemon that he was going to take into battle: Dragonite, Alakazam, and Bulbasaur. After being briefed on the rules, one of the security guards opened up the door and revealed a battlefield with thousands of screaming fans surrounding it. Eli stepped outside, signifying that his Elite 4 challenge had begun.

End of Chapter 94


	95. Chapter 95

Chapter 95: Trace

The crowd unleashed a deafening roar when Eli overcame his nerves and walked out onto the battlefield. As soon as Eli entered the battlefield, he saw the terrain that Trace had chosen for the battle. There was large boulders scattered across the field, and there were few spots of dirt, which instantly nullified any strategy involving Leech Seed for Eli. The tough rocks would be unwelcoming to any type of Leech Seed strategy, which made Bulbasaur weaker than he needed to be. Eli made his way over to the challenger's platform, which rested 10 feet above the ground. Eli climbed the stairs and reached the top of the platform before looking up at the jumbotron that was dangling above the field. While the camera was centered on Eli he waved to the crowd, causing them to roar even louder. Then, Eli looked around the stadium to see how many people had decided to attend. The stadium was packed full, and there were many people wearing shirts with Trace's face printed on them. Eli knew that this would be a tough crowd, and that he would have to fight for his life if he wanted to make it out with all of his Pokemon. Eli was blinded as the lights in the stadium suddenly went out. Eli was scared of a Team Eclipse attack at first, but his fears were erased by a light show starting up. A voice, presumably the announcer's, boomed overhead as Eli stood on his platform in confusion.

"Ladies and Gentleman! Welcome to the first round of Eli's Elite 4 challenge!" cried the man. The crowd yelled and screamed as loud as they could as music began to play in the background. "Today, Eli will be facing the master of all things rock! The greatest trainer of the type in all of Perodia! His Pokemon strike fear into the hearts of his opponents! Give a warm welcome to the first member of the Elite 4, Trace!" bellowed the announcer. The spotlight shifted towards an entrance on the opposite end of the stadium, and the man that Eli identified as Trace stepped out of the tunnel. He waved to the crowd with a large smile plastered to his face before brushing off his suit and walking towards his platform. Eli looked at the jumbotron where an animation of two trainers standing on the opposite ends of the battlefield, ready to fight. Then, three Pokeballs, all fully illuminated in color, popped up next to each trainer. Eli knew that these were the way of keeping track of how many Pokemon each person had left. Finally, Trace reached the platform before the announcer's booming voice flooded the battlefield again. "Welcome to the first battle of Eli's Elite 4 Challenge! Each trainer is required to use three Pokemon in this fight. The first trainer to earn three knock-outs of his opponent wins! If each trainer is ready, then let the battle begin!" boomed the announcer. The crowd went wild as the announcer finished his speech, and Trace had the honors of moving first. He stepped up to his microphone, which not only allowed the whole crowd to hear him speak, but it also allowed his Pokemon to hear his commands. He cleared his throat before grabbing his first Pokeball.

"Eli! I welcome you to your first challenge in the Elite 4! I hope that you will succeed, as I know that you have made it here by nothing but hard work and determination! However, don't you think that I will be going easy on you! I will stop at nothing to make sure that my colleagues will not have to face you! And for that, I call on my partner Magcargo to come out and fight!" shouted Trace. He hurled his Pokeball out onto the field and unleashed his dual type Pokemon. Eli knew that Magcargo was a hybrid between a Rock type Pokemon and a Fire type Pokemon, making him a useful counter for grass types, such as Bulbasaur. Eli knew that Trace would be used to facing Grass type Pokemon, and that Magcargo would be the perfect counter. Bulbasaur would be out of the question for facing Marcargo, so that left Eli to choose between Dragonite and Alakazam. Eli wanted to use Dragonite conservatively during the Elite 4, as he would certainly need him against the champion. Therefore, Eli would need to use his Alakazam now in order to keep Dragonite stable. Eli reached for his bag and pulled out his Alakazam, who would be the first Pokemon that Eli ever used in the Elite 4. Eli then stepped up to his microphone and spoke into it, trying the entire time to keep his voice from quivering.

"I understand that Trace. But I know that I was destined to go further than the 1st match in the Elite 4! I will take you down! Houdini, come on out and put on a show!" shouted Eli. The mustached figure landed on the field after Eli throttled the Pokeball out onto the platform. Alakazam was a good match for Marcargo, mainly because of his superior speed and his ability to hit like a truck. Alakazam could either stay back or launch an assault of Focus Blasts and Psychics or he could use Teleport to fly around the battlefield and dodge attacks, making him play defense. Trace still had not commanded his Pokemon, so Eli took the queue and called out for his Alakazam to make the first move. "Houdini, go and use Focus Blast now! Shoot it up into the air and control it using Psychic! Wait until I say to release it!" shouted Eli. Trace shot Eli a puzzled look, and Eli knew that the plan that he had cooked up was working to perfection. Trace was good at making people overthink, so Eli was going to give him a taste of his own medicine and puzzle him. This would make it harder for Trace to conduct his own strategies, as he would have to think about a possible counter-attack at any time. Now, it was Trace's turn to make a move.

"Alright Magcargo! Go out there and use Ancientpower now! Make sure that you break his concentration and raise your stats!" shouted Trace. Magcargo seemed to hold his breath for a moment before lifting rocks out of the ground and hurling them towards Alakazam. The ingenious Pokemon used his psychic powers to deflect the rocks that were thrown his way, scattering the attack across the battlefield. Eli knew that this would keep Trace from using that attack again. However, Eli hope that this next attack would be a thumper against Trace's Magcargo, allowing Eli to knock-out the fiery slug. Eli looked towards Magcargo, who was winded after the attack. He must have not gotten the stat boosts, which would make this knockout so much more likely. If Eli could knockout Magcargo, that would open the floodgates for Bulbasaur to wreak havoc on Trace's two remaining Pokemon. Eli now had the permission to make his move, and this one would be a lethal one.

"Houdini, it's time to finish this! Lift Magcargo up into the air using Psychic and smash him into the ground using Focus Blast! I know that this is going to stress your powers, but I need you to do this!" cried Eli. Alakazam closed his eyes as his spoons took a downward bend as he lifted Magcargo up into the air. The fiery slug was lifted up into the air foot by foot, and there was nothing that Trace could do about it. He stammered helplessly as his lead Pokemon was suspended in the air. Eli was holding his breath, hoping that Alakazam could maintain enough focus to execute the full extent of the attack. It the full attack was not executed, then Alakazam would be open to a powerful counter-attack. Suddenly, a brown orb of energy came falling out of the air and smashed Magcargo into the ground. An audible scream could be heard, signifying that Trace's first Pokemon had been defeated. The announcer once again took over the battle, yelling out what had just happened on the field.

"And with a perfectly executed strategy, Eli takes out Trace's Magcargo! What a move by the powerful but precise Alakazam! With one Pokemon down, what will Trace do next?" questioned the announcer. Trace looked shocked at the events that had just occurred, and looked like he was thinking as hard as the announcer was as to what the answer to that question would be. Trace knew that Alakazam would not be able to wrap up his ace, but Trace wanted to save his Aerodactyl for Eli's final Pokemon. In compromise, Trace reached for his belt and pulled off his second Pokeball. When Eli looked towards the jumbotron that hovered over the field, he saw that the first Pokeball that was next to Trace's display darken, showing that there were only two Pokemon that Trace could use. Trace then stepped up to his microphone before speaking to Eli.

"I'm impressed Eli," spoke Trace, which drew a pattering applause from the crowd. "However, I hope that you don't think that this battle is over quite yet. I have two very powerful Pokemon remaining, and they will come at you holding nothing back," prophesized Trace. That last sentence made Eli's heart jump. Eli knew that Trace still had his ace in the hole, but he was hoping that the last Pokemon would be easier than Magcargo. Magcargo was able to wear down Alakazam, and it made the battle a whole lot tougher for Eli now that one of his best Pokemon had been drained and stripped of power. Trace now put on a large smile before hurling his next Pokemon out onto the battlefield. "Kabutops, I choose you! Come on out and show this kid what we've got!" shouted Trace. A large, prehistoric Pokemon leaped out of the Pokeball and landed on the battlefield. The Pokemon had long sabers that stretched out from his arms, and there were small teeth that rested below the massive skull that the creature had. Kabutops was extremely wiry, and looked like it was just made up of an exoskeleton. Eli felt that this Pokemon would be a strong, but frail attacker. Eli was wondering if he should switch out, but he opted to stay in and protect his other Pokemon from falling. Trace had the honors to make the first move, so he once again took the stage and was ready to launch an attack of Eli. "Kabutops, use Slash on Alakazam and make sure that he can't walk this one off!" cried Trace. His monstrosity of a Pokemon dashed towards Alakazam and launched an assault of swipes on his opponent. Alakazam did the best that he could to dodge all of them, but he was inevitably hit by a few of them. Alakazam was pushed back under Eli's platform before Kabutops retreated to try to fend off another attack that would be coming from Alakazam. Eli wondered if he should stay in and try to attack or pull out and try to use Bulbasaur. Eli considered switching, but Alakazam was on such a roll that Eli opted stay in and try to snuff out the dynamic attacker, Kabutops. Eli stepped up to the microphone with a wave of confidence and shouted out to his Alakazam.

"Alright Houdini, try to finish this battle and use Focus Blast now! Try to crack his blade to weaken his attack!" shouted Eli. Alakazam winced as he jumped up in the air and pulled a brown orb of energy from the air. He then spun around and hurled the attack towards Kabutops. However, Kabutops knew that this attack would be coming based off the previous attack. He jumped out of the way of the attack and sprang towards Alakazam, ready for a counter-attack. Eli screamed out at Alakazam to dodge the attack, but Eli knew that it would be no use. If Kabutops could land even one more attack, then it would be the end for Alakazam. The mustached Pokemon jumped out of the way for the first couple of Slash attacks, but the fourth attack was successful. Kabutops' massive saber smashed into Alakazam's chest, sending him flying backwards. He smashed into the platform where Eli was standing on, and Eli's knees buckled as his confidence went away in a flash. Alakazam, a Pokemon that had been on his journey ever since he traded away his Larvitar, had just been killed right before his eyes. The sheer emotion of the moment was drowned out by the cheering of the crowd. Eli knew that in order to save the rest of the Pokemon in his party, he would need to draw himself away from the emotion of the moment and focus on the battle strategy. Rage continued to build inside of Eli as he returned his Pokemon to the Pokeball. He pulled the orb to his lips and whispered, "Thank you my friend. You have helped me so much on my journey, and it was a shame that you had to go right now. You will be with me in my heart, Houdini." Eli wiped a tear from his eye before reaching into his bag for the first Pokemon that he had acquired on his journey. Now, Eli looked up straight at Trace as the rage continued to flow inside of him. He stepped back up to the microphone, preparing to address Trace. "Well, I was certainly not expecting that," whispered Eli. "However, I can make do with that. Now, I will send out my first partner on my journey to demolish you. I hope your ready, because I know that he is. Syntha, come out and defeat this monster!" shouted Eli. He chucked the Pokeball out onto the field and Bulbasaur came flying out. He landed on the field and extended his vines from his bulb. Eli heard a small sound overhead, and the jumbotron had blacked out the first Pokeball next to Eli's display. Eli now had the option to make the first move, and he was going to make the most of it. He clenched his fist before yelling out to his Bulbasaur. "Syntha, blast him with as many Energy Balls as you can spit out! Make sure that he doesn't live this one down! Take revenge on him!" shouted Eli. Bulbasaur continually launched green orbs of energy at Kabutops, and the ancient creature had a hard time dodging them. He was hit by many of them at full strength, but he was also able to weaken the blow that a lot of them could do. However, the attack still did a lot of damage, leaving him in a tough position for the rest of the battle. Now, Trace had the opportunity to launch a counter-attack and try to land a few hits from his devastating Slash attacks. He stepped up to the microphone in his suit and cleared his throat before calling out to his powerful, ancient Pokemon.

"Kabutops! Go out and get that Bulbasaur! Launch your assault of Slash attacks!" cried Trace. Kabutops awkwardly dashed forwards with his marionettes prodding forward with every uncoordinated step. He then got within striking distance of the green dinosaur and jumped towards Bulbasaur with his twin blades pointed towards his target. Since Bulbasaur was much smaller than Alakazam, Kabutops pointed his blades down towards the ground at a steeper angle. Luckily, Bulbasaur was able to bounce out of the way to dodge the attack, leaving the prehistoric Pokemon's blades plugged into the ground. Eli saw the chance to pounce of the missed attack and capitalize on the mistakes that Trace's Pokemon had made. Eli swiftly formulated his plan is his head and quickly spit out his thoughts to his willing Pokemon.

"Syntha! Go capitalize on this one! Use Leech Seed on Kabutops' blades since they pierced into the ground! Tie Kabutops up and keep him down!" shouted Eli. Bulbasaur instantly understood what Eli was saying. If he shot his seeds into the ground next to Kabutops' sabers, they would travel deeper into the ground and hit the soil. They would then be able to grow up Kabutops' arms and strap him into the ground, leaving him susceptible to any attack that he could throw out of him. Bulbasaur launched two seeds from his bulb and landed them in the precise location so that the vines would contain the prehistoric Pokemon. As soon as the seeds fell, Kabutops tried to rip his arms out of the ground, but it was far too late. The vines maliciously snapped out of the ground and wrapped around his arms, pulling him deeper into the ground. Now, Eli could make any move that he wants without facing many consequences. He called out to his Pokemon and hoped that he could finish Kabutops right then and there, before he could bash any more of Eli's Pokemon into submission. "Syntha, finish this Kabutops! Avenge the death of Houdini, now! Energy Ball!" shouted Eli. Bulbasaur walked closer to his prehistoric enemy and clamped open his jaws, charging up a green ball of energy in his outstretched mouth. As the seconds passed, the orb in Bulbasaur mouth swelled, charging up its power to impact the damage that would be dealt to Kabutops. Eli held his tongue for a few seconds longer, wanting to make Trace feel the same pi tin his stomach that Eli had felt just minutes earlier when his Alakazam had fallen victim to Kabutops. Then, Eli called out for his attack to fire, and the obedient dinosaur launched the lethal attack on his enemy. Kabutops was blasted by the attack and fell to the ground. Eli knew that this meant that Kabutops could no longer continue in the battle. Eli knew that he only had to knock out Trace's final Pokemon, Aerodactyl, to make it past the first hurdle of the Elite 4. Trace knew he had been defeated in that round, so he withdrew his Pokemon back into his shelter. Eli then returned his Bulbasaur, as he would not have any shot at taking down Aerodactyl using his land-based Bulbasaur. Eli knew that Dragonite would have to be used, as his secondary threat to flying types, Alakazam, went down earlier. Suddenly, the announcer drowned out the noise of the crowd as he boomed through a microphone.

"What a strategy by Eli with his revenge kill on Kabutops! It was a brilliant move to bring out the Leech Seed attack to tie down his enemy! Now, there are 2 Pokemon remaining for Eli and only 1 for Trace! However, Trace still has the toughest rock type Pokemon left in Perodia to fight by his side! Where will Eli go now!" shouted the announcer. With a loud ring, Eli could see that one more Pokeball had been removed from Trace's flamboyant display. Trace then looked at Eli with a serious but confident smile before peeling the final Pokeball off of his belt. He then extended his arm and pointed his arm at Eli and pointing at him. He stood up to the microphone, sending chills down Eli's spine.

"Eli, if you think that the battle so far has been hard, you have no idea what's coming. This is my most powerful Pokemon, and its speed and power will rock your world. I hope your ready! Aerodactyl, go and finish him off! Provide me with a great last stand!" shouted Trace. He hurled the Pokeball that was clamped in his hand out to the field before his other prehistoric Pokemon came bouncing out of the orb. Eli was surprised by what Pokemon came out of the Pokeball. It had a large head that looked like a Feraligatr, but its sleek body was contrasted by the bony wings that arched out from his body. Eli knew that this would be a powerful opponent, but he knew that he would also need to keep his Dragonite in power in order to win the battle. Eli hoped that Dragonite could get out of the battle unscathed so that his arm would not take any suffering. Eli then reached into his backpack and pulled out his Pokeball that contained Dragonite. Eli then hurled the Pokeball out onto the field, preparing for the massive battlefield. Dragonite, his trusty powerhouse, bounded out onto the field. Trace was entitled to the first move, as his Pokemon had been defeated last. His Aerodactyl was still perched on the ground, and Eli predicted that Trace would want to take to the skies to avoid the sheer power of his opponent. Trace stepped up to the microphone before commanding his trustworthy Pokemon. "Alright Aerodactyl! Go and take to the skies! Use Rock Slide and drop your rocks onto our enemy!" cried Trace. Aerodactyl cunningly jumped into the air and blasted into the sky with one powerful swoop of his wings. He circled the darkening skies for just a moment before smashing his rocky wing into the side of one of the steep hills that resided on the battlefield. A quarry of rocks came tumbling down the hill, heading right in Dragonite's direction. However, Eli knew that he could counter this attack if he acted quickly.

"Buddy, dodge it!" shouted Eli. The husky but nimble dragon pounced to the side and avoided the boulders' paths. Eli knew that if he was going to strike that he would need to be quick. He stepped back up to the microphone and called out his brash command to his Pokemon. "Buddy! We need to act quick! While Aerodactyl is still walking off the pain from crashing into the rocks, hit him with an Outrage! Make it your best shot!" shouted Eli. Dragonite pushed off his powerful hind legs and jumped into the air, allowing his disproportionate wings to propel him through the air. He then rushed towards his target, his only intent to drive him into the ground. Eli held his breath, as this move would be for the worst if he could not land the attack. Aerodactyl was flying away as fast as he could, but it seemed that he had hit his wing too hard up against the mountains to cause the attack, allowing Eli free entry to an attack. Dragonite finally caught up with Aerodactyl and unleashed his energy from the attack. His blue aurora that engulfing him seemed to escalate the damage, and Dragonite swooped downwards with his target pinned to his chest. This was a move that Eli had seen performed before by Dragonite in training sessions, but this time, all the marbles were out on the table. Dragonite was going to smash his target into the ground and hope that their body broke his fall. If he was able to pull off this move, it would be the end of the match. Dragonite and Aerodactyl finally hit the ground, causing a loud roar to come from the crowd. A mess of smoke and fog now plagued the battlefield. Both Eli and Trace stood up on the railing that boxed them in their podiums, waiting to see the results of the battle. Finally, the smoke had cleared, allowing the announcer, who doubled as the referee, to see what had happened on the field. Dragonite, the powerful assailant, had succeeded in taking down Aerodactyl. Eli screamed in victory along with the crowd as adrenaline flowed through his veins. The announcer boomed that Eli had won, and that he had cleared the first challenge of the Elite 4. Trace then stepped up to his microphone before congratulating Eli on his victory.

"Congratulations Eli," praised Trace. After each sentence, the crowd boomed with applause. "You just fought one hell of a fight, and I know that you deserve to move on to your next opponent. Hopefully, you can continue to bring us more excitement!" shouted Trace. Eli smiled and was escorted off of the podium by two security guards, who brought him through the door that he had gone through just an hour before. However, he now possessed confidence in his abilities that had carried him through the first hurdle of his Elite 4 challenge.

End of Chapter 95


	96. Chapter 96

Chapter 96: Nate

Eli walked back inside the locker room that his other Pokemon were stored in, and he was greeted by the chairman of the Elite 4 challenge was sitting on the couch in front of the machine that held Eli's Pokemon. He shook Eli's hand before looking back up at him and offering him a seat. Eli accepted the offer of a chair and sat down, the Pokemon storage machine separating the two trainers.

"That was a very nice battle Eli," spoke the chairman. Eli got a little bit nervous, hoping that he had not done anything in the battle that would make the chairman think that he was cheating. "Your battle right there was the highest watched battle in all of the battles that we have ever streamed right there. I want to thank you for that. Make sure that you can give Nate a run for his money, OK?" asked the chairman. Eli smiled and thanked the man for the talk before sitting down at the Pokemon storage unit. Eli then placed his two Pokemon who had made it out alive in the battle, Dragonite and Bulbasaur, in the unit. There was now a pool of 5 Pokemon that Eli could choose to use against Nate, a Fighting type trainer. Eli wished that Alakazam was still around, as he would be able to power through this group of Pokemon in a jiff. The machine made a loud ring, signaling that Eli's remaining Pokemon had been healed. Eli cracked his knuckles as the gears in his brain rapidly turned. He needed to figure out which 3 Pokemon that he could use in the fight against Nate's powerful brigade. Eli tapped on the screen as a Pokeball dropped out of a container, allowing Eli to retrieve it. Eli knew that this Pokemon would have to do most of the heavy lifting while the other Pokemon waited. Arcanine was Eli's first selection. Now, Eli would have to choose two more Pokemon out of the pool of 4 remaining. Eli opted to give Bulbasaur and Dragonite a break this battle, making Crobat and Jolteon the only two left. Eli tapped on their icons on the screen, sending two more Pokeballs down the chute. Eli smiled as he told the security guard that he was ready. The guard then spoke through his earpiece before opening the door for Eli. Eli's second leg of his Elite 4 challenge was beginning right here and now. As soon as Eli walked out onto the brightly lit field, many of the lights went out. Then, an illustrious spotlight bounced onto Eli as the announcer boomed overhead.

"Ladies and gentleman, please help me in welcoming Eli back to the stage! His powerful beat-'em-up style of fighting let him make his way through the first wall in his Elite 4 challenge, but this next part will be much tougher!" boomed the announcer. Eli smiled and waved to the crowd before walking up the steps that would allow him to get to his training podium. Eli then clipped his 3 Pokeballs to his belt and stood on the podium as the spotlight flickered back to the door where Trace had come out just a moment earlier. The announcer once again gave an overly pompous intro to Nate. "Ladies and gentleman, boys and girls! We have the best Fighting type trainer here in the whole region of Perodia! He's the greatest, he's the baddest, the best fighter around! Please welcome Nate, the best Fighting type trainer in all of Perodia!" boomed the announcer. The crowd roared as Nate, who was dressed in a judo outfit, came out of the tunnel. He pumped his fists into the air, and Eli noticed that his arms were wrapped in boxing tape. Eli knew that this was more of a beat-em-up battle than a classy battle. This would be a large contrast from the last battle, and that he would need to fight like hell if he wanted to get out of this battle alive. Nate walked up to the podium and pointed at Eli.

"Eli, I congratulate you on your win on the last battle. I know that it took a lot of determination to win that last fight, but I hope you know that it will only get tougher from here on out. Without further ado, let's get this battle underway!" shouted Nate. The crowd went wild, and a loud ring sounded, signaling that the battle had begun. A picture of Nate and Eli was put up on the jumbotron, and 3 Pokeballs were illuminated next to the pictures. Nate pulled the first Pokeball off of his boxing wrap and threw it out onto the field. "Medicham, I choose you!" cried Nate. An odd looking Pokemon bounded out of his Pokeball, looking ready to take down his opponents. Eli knew that Medicham was an attacker that would be able to hit from both near and far, leading Eli to change his choice. Eli was going to send out his Arcanine first, but he knew that Medicham would be a decent counter for Eli's Arcanine. Crobat would certainly have a tough time in the battle, and it would be a weak matchup for him due to the type disadvantage. That left Eli with one choice: Jolteon. Eli then reached for his backpack and pulled out the electric dog before looking up with a harsh face at Nate. Eli knew that if he was going to win this fight that he would have to be as serious as ever. He would have to have the capability to kill the puppy. He would need to finish all the opponents that stood in his way. Eli then let a large smile rush onto his face, as he knew that he would need the confidence.

"Alright Nate. I agree: this battle won't be easy. However, I know that my Pokemon and I have the heart, determination, and hustle to take you down in this fight. In fact, I even think that I can escape this battle without losing a single Pokemon. I will show you just how strong I am with my first Pokemon. JJ, come on out and show Nate what he's got coming!" cried Eli. He hurled his Pokeball out onto the field, and the Electric type Pokemon was summoned out onto the field. The roar of the crowd was deafening, and Eli knew that this would work to his Pokemon's advantage. They would be energized by the crowd, and their energy would be enough to take down Nate's powerful Pokemon. Eli, being the challenger, was entitled to the first move in the battle. Eli knew that Jolteon had access to Thunderbolt, Signal Beam, Agility, and Shadow Ball. These moves would work well against a Pokemon like Medicham, giving Eli the upper hand. Eli decided that he would start off by making Jolteon quicker using the move Agility, allowing him to avoid many of the powerful blows that his foes could throw at him. "JJ, let's start this one off fast! Use Agility, now!" shouted Eli. Joleton seemed to bend down for a moment before being engulfed in a yellow glow for just a moment. Then, he stood up and raced around Medicham at a blinding rate, kicking up much of the sand that patrolled the floors of the battlefield. Eli had not yet thought of how the landscape would impact the battle, so he took a moment to observe. Unlike the last battlefield, this one was soft and flat, with most of the floor being covered with sparkling white sand. There were no obstacles on the field, meaning that there would be nowhere to hide from a brutal attack. However, Jolteon's speed would allow him to not need cover, and allow for him to launch attacks on Medicham faster than he could dodge them. Now, Nate had the option to move, and he would utilize the opportunity to the fullest extent. Nate stepped up to the podium, a little shaken from Eli's claim.

"Alright Eli, I hope you can walk the walk, because I now know that you can talk the talk! Medicham, show him how hard this Elite 4 challenge can be! Hit him with a Force Palm, now!" shouted Nate. Medicham leaned forward before jumping high into the night sky. Eli knew that Jolteon would be faster than the attack, but Eli knew that Medicham would be going quickly enough that he might be able to hit Jolteon for a fraction of the damage. In order to live up to his claim, Eli's Pokemon would have to be on top of their game in this match. Medicham quickly descended from the sky towards Jolteon, and Jolteon waited for the powerful being to get close to the ground before darting out of the way. Medicham smashed his hand into the sand, which was apparently hiding a hard clay surface-which caused Medicham to cringe in pain. Now, Eli could move on with his battle strategy. Eli stepped up to the microphone and stared with a deep intent at the field before thinking what he could do to get at Medicham. He knew that the wrist injury that Medicham had acquired would not make a huge impact on the battle, so he was better off going for a special attack to keep the powerful physical attacker at bay.

"Alright JJ! Let's give this guy a run for his money! Go hit him with a Thunderbolt, now!" shouted Eli. Jolteon jumped with superb speed around his target before engulfing his body with the sharp bolts of electricity. The hatred of the electricity jumped off of Jolteon's body and captured its target, where the electricity crept over to the power of Medicham before blasting him with tons of power. Medicham's knees buckled as he fell to the ground, succumbing to the power of attack. Eli knew that Medicham would fall from this attack, and he would be able to take a 1-0 lead in the attack. Nate's face crumpled as he saw the sheer power of the attack that Jolteon. Nate figured that Jolteon would be a tough Pokemon to topple, as the increased speed boost would make sure that his powerful physical oriented Pokemon would have a difficult time getting to Jolteon. Medicham then let out his final squeal before collapsing, lying prone on the ground. The crowd roared a large blast, allowing Eli to pump his fist and increase his confidence level. Now, Eli could either stay in with Jolteon or switch out to his ace, Arcanine, or his assassin, Crobat. Eli was proud of Jolteon's knock-out in the fight, but he also knew that he would need to conserve the power of his Pokemon. Eli decided that he would switch out Jolteon for Arcanine, much to the dismay of the crowd. Eli reached into his bag and pulled out Jolteon's Pokeball before retracting the Pokemon in a red streak of light. Eli smiled and nodded at the Pokeball, as if to tell Jolteon that he had done a good job in the fight. Then, Eli pulled out Arcanine's Pokeball, waiting for Nate to make his move. Nate looked hardened as he reached for his second Pokeball. The crowd roared on all sides as Nate stepped back up to the microphone.

"I must admit Eli, you handled that very well. I know that you are going to be a tough opponent, and that it will take more than I though to defeat you. However, I hope you know that I am not giving up yet. My two remaining Pokemon will fight to the end against you, even if that means ending your Elite 4 challenge! Now, my partner Scrafty will take you down! Go my friend!" shouted Nate. Nate slung a Pokeball towards the battlefield, presumably holding his Scrafty. When the Pokeball landed, Eli was shocked to see the Pokemon that came out. A Pokemon that stood at about 3 feet tall had a large, spiked mohawk that cut up into the dark night sky. He had what appeared to be baggy pants, and his wedged fists looked ready to fight. Now, it was Eli's turn to make the move and send out his Pokemon. If Eli had it his way, he would be able to finish his opponent in the battle.

"Trust me Nate, I know that you haven't been beat yet. However, I'm sure that you'll have a load of trouble with this Pokemon! He has been with me for a large portion of my journey, and I know that he is ready to make his Elite 4 debut! He has been my best team member so far, and I know that he'll rock your world! Yippers, come on out and fight!" shouted Eli. Eli swung his arm like a pure athlete and threw the Pokeball out onto the field. In a flash of light, the large, beastly Pokemon bounded onto the field, ready to make his Elite 4 debut. Eli knew that his Pokemon would be more intelligent than his opposing Pokemon, but he was worried that the pressure would clip that advantage away from Eli's side and transfer it to the more crowd-ready Scrafty. Eli knew that Nate had the obligation for the first move, but he seemed to be hesitating, beckoning for Eli to move first and make the first move. Eli knew that this would be aimed at seeing the variety and skill of moves that Arcanine could throw at him. Eli decided that he would take the opportunity of the first move first. However, Eli would need to quickly consider what he would need to do in order to make this battle go along swiftly. Eli knew that Close Combat seemed like a good idea on paper, but it would wear Arcanine down to the point of no return. So, Eli decided that he would go with Double Team and attempt to spook Nate out even more. "Alright Yippers! Time to throw Scrafty off of the scent! Use your Double Team now and make as many clones as you can! Keep it up!" shouted Eli. The crowd roared as one by one, 7 copies of Arcanine were dispensed onto the field, ready to fight. However, the crowd did not yet know that these clone were capable of battle, and that would be the biggest surprise of it all. The 8 menaces crept in a ring around Scrafty, ready to take down any threat that he could throw at him. Eli now knew that he could go after Nate at the lift of a finger, and that this situation would look bad on Nate's end. Nate, however, stepped up to the microphone with a bounce in his step, ready to take down all of Eli's dopplegangers.

"Alright Eli! That was one clever move, but don't think that I can't take down your silhouettes! I know that as soon as I hit them, I will make all the fake ones disappear! Now, Scrafty, let's show him what we're made of! Hit any one of them with a Drain Punch now!" shouted Nate. Scrafty smirked before pulling up his baggy pants and darting towards one of the Arcanines. He smashed his fist into the body of the cloned Arcanine, but much to Nate's surprise, the model did not disappear. It seemed to have small flames dance around it, but it did not disappear into thin air. Nate seemed to freak out, and his Pokemon did the same. Now, it was an 8 vs 1 fight that could only end poorly for Nate's Scrafty. Eli smiled and stepped up to the microphone, ready to go up 2-0 in the battle.

"See, me and my Pokemon were not as weak as you thought. These clones are not hollow misinterpretations of the real Pokemon. They are extensions of him. They are fully capable of attacking, and there is nothing that you can do from stopping the assault. No opponent has been able to defeat my Arcanine. The downside to this method is that he takes any damage that his clones take. However, the benefits far outweigh the negatives. Now, you will feel the full fury of Arcanine! Yippers, hit him with 8 Flare Blitz attacks, now!" shouted Eli. The first Arcanine became engulfed in fire and dashed towards his opponent. The Scrafty could not hear him coming due to the noise of the crowd, and the fake Arcanine smashed into his target. Scrafty was not destroyed by the attack, as he would need to be hit by the real one to take the final blow. However, he was spun around and put off balance by the attack, allowing the second Arcanine to set Scrafty even more off balance. Eli knew that if this continued, Scrafty would take enough damage to set him into critical condition. Then, the real Arcanine would be able to finish his opponent off with ease. The crowd moaned every time Scrafty was smashed by the a fake Arcanine, and after 7 hits, the real Arcanine got a running start and engulfed himself in a malevolent fire. The real Arcanine got a head-on hit on Scrafty, sending him flying out of the ring of Arcanines. The crowd then roared as Scrafty was knocked out, giving Eli a major advantage in the battle. Eli smiled as Nate looked down in disgust. The crowd roared around them, and Nate returned his Pokemon to his Pokeball. The once jubilant fighter looked dismal, but Eli knew that he still most likely had his strongest Pokemon left. Nate then reached for his other Pokeball and looked up, sheer determination pouring through his eyes.

"Eli, I must admit, you've fought one hell of a fight. However, I have trained for too long and too hard to come out here and get embarrassed by you. My last Pokemon will be weak to yours because of his ability, but I know he is my most courageous fighter. Like your Arcanine, he has been with me since almost the beginning of my journey. He has been my most courageous fighter, and he has never given in, no matter how bad I am losing in a battle. He has fought through forests and valleys, even burning wastelands, to make himself stronger. He has been put in critical condition once, and I paid my life savings to get him again. Now, I can still pay for a healing, but I know that I can trust him enough to do tons of damage in this battle. Without further ado, Toxicroak, come on out pal!" shouted Nate. Nate hurled his final available Pokemon out onto the field, and as the Pokeball sprang open, led the crowd in screaming for his trusty Pokemon. Nate now had the option for the first move, and he looked intent on taking it. He had picked up from last time that it would be a fatal mistake to let Eli start the battle off at a fast pace, so he would need to throw out a buffer in order to take his opponent down. Nate knew that he would be at a disadvantage, mainly because of Toxicroak's ability, Dry Skin. This provided him the ability to heal himself in the rain, but it also made him weaker to the fire moves that Arcanine could flawlessly churn out. However, Toxicroak would fight to no end to stand up for his master, making sure that he could conserve some pride in the battle. Now, Eli had a decision to make. He could either stay in with Arcanine or go with Crobat. The trouble of going with Arcanine was the possibility that he could overstretch his power limits and all the clones could fall apart. While the attack was extremely useful, it was brutal on Arcanine to keep the attack going at all times, especially during the battle. However, Arcanine was much stronger than his winged counterpart, and the power restriction would make it difficult for Crobat to come out on top. So, Eli decided that he would stay in with ace, Arcanine, and try to close out the battle. Nate stepped up to the microphone and called out to his companion. "Alright Toxicroak, hit the clones with a barrage of Gunk Shot, now!" shouted Eli. Toxicroak jumped into the ring of tyrannical Arcanines, and began to blast a column of poison sludge out onto the Pokemon around him. Some of the Pokemon were keen enough to dodge them, but the other clones were quickly engulfed by the sludge. They shied away in pain, trying to get the malignant poison off of them. Then, loud screams could be heard above the noise of the crowd, signaling that the sludge had done enough damage to the clones to destroy them. Eli was not the best at deducting details from a battle, but he knew that that attack was not to be messed with under any circumstances. Arcanine may have met his match in Toxicroak, and Eli would need to beat this poison frog at any cost. Eli now had only 3/8 clones, meaning that the chances were even higher of Toxicroak's next attack of hitting the real Arcanine. Eli grimaced, knowing that this battle had turned in an instant with Nate's inspiring speech. Eli needed to do something to turn the tides, and fast.

"Yippers, its time to get our rally going!" shouted Eli. "Yippers, hit him with the final blow! Use Extreemespeed now!" shouted Eli. Eli knew that this would be the move that defeated Toxicroak or ended Arcanine. It would all be a matter of execution now. The first Arcanine sprang forward with a dash, leaving a wake of bright light behind him. He rushed at a blinding speed towards Toxicroak, and Eli was surprised when the seemingly helpless Toxicroak slashed the fake Pokemon into thin air. In a small gap of time, the second Arcanine came pounding towards Toxicroak. Unfortunately, this one too was smashed out of the air. Finally, the seemingly third Arcanine pounded towards Toxicroak. This one too was slashed, but instead of collapsing like the real Arcanine, it too sprang off into thin air. Both Eli, Nate, and Toxicroak were surprised by the third attacker not being the real Arcanine. Then, in a flash, the real Arcanine smashed into Toxicroak, sending him flying across the arena. Eli knew that Toxicroak would be down for the count, and the announcer closed the battle out.

"In a marvelous turn of events, Arcanine fools even his own trainer and takes his second KO of the match! Eli has cleared the second line of defense that the Elite 4 has to offer, and he will now be advancing to the third Elite 4 member: Lucia! Come back in a half an hour to see the next match!" shouted the announcer. Nate then looked across the field at Eli and nodded his head, acknowledging that he'd been swept aside in the battle. Eli nodded back and walked out of the arena, closing out the second round of the Elite 4.

END OF CHAPTER 96


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